Space
Was a famous supernova an alien invader from another galaxy?
Kepler's Supernova, seen in 1604, is one of the most famous exploding stars ever seen, and now astronomers think it may have been an interloper from another galaxy
By Alex Wilkins
9 May 2025
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A composite image of the remnant of Kepler’s SupernovaNASA/CXC/SAO/D.Patnaude
One of the most famous exploding stars ever recorded by humanity may have been an invader from another galaxy, according to a new analysis of its movements. What is more, alien stars like this might be behind 1 per cent of all the supernovae we see in the galaxy.
In 1604, astronomers saw a new, incredibly bright star appear in the sky, outshining any other. German astronomer Johannes Kepler, who also derived some of the first laws of planetary motion, observed the star for a year to track its…
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