Rare Stellar Explosion Gives Astronomers a Front-Row Seat to a Massive Star’s Death

A rare stellar explosion has allowed astronomers to follow the death of a massive star from start to finish, yielding one of the most complete datasets ever collected for such an event. The explosion is only the second case in more than 20 years in which researchers have been able to track a massive star's demise with such clarity, offering new insights into the diverse ways these stars end their lives.