{"id":802199,"date":"2026-05-15T07:28:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T12:28:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=802199"},"modified":"2026-05-15T07:28:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T12:28:29","slug":"stardust-in-antarctica-shows-earth-crossed-a-supernova-cloud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=802199","title":{"rendered":"Stardust in Antarctica shows Earth crossed a supernova cloud"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Stars within 10 parsecs (about 33 light-years). This map is based on data from the GAIA space observatory and uses other references in the scientific literature. Star systems whose primary star belongs to spectral class A-K are labelled. Also includes known hydrogen clouds within 10 parsecs including two white dwarf HII regions. Image via Galaxymap.org.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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  • Stardust in Antarctic ice<\/strong> \u2013 originating in vast clouds in space, left when stars explode \u2013 reveals the presence of iron-60. This material doesn\u2019t form naturally on Earth. But supernovae produce it.<\/li>\n
  • A look back at ice cores tens of thousands of years old<\/strong> shows the amount of iron-60 varies slightly over this time period. It suggests our solar system has been traveling through a cloud of supernova debris for 40,000 to 124,000 years.<\/li>\n
  • The amount of iron-60 was sparser in the past than it is now. <\/strong> So it appears we are still passing through one of these interstellar clouds. So the iron-60 helps trace our path through the universe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    By Dominik Koll, Australian National University<\/span><\/p>\n

    Stardust in Antarctica shows Earth crossed supernova cloud<\/h3>\n

    When you think of outer space, you\u2019re likely picturing stars, planets and moons. But much of space is filled with clouds of gas, plasma and stardust<\/em> \u2026 or interstellar clouds.<\/p>\n

    In the local parts of our galaxy alone, there\u2019s a complex of roughly 15 individual interstellar clouds. The solar system is currently traversing one of them, aptly named the Local Interstellar Cloud. Scientists believe the origin and history of these clouds are tightly connected to the birth and death of stars. But we can see their imprints right here on Earth, in a place you might not expect: Antarctic ice.<\/p>\n

    My colleagues and I have been studying stardust \u2013 the dust left behind in space from supernova explosions \u2013 trapped in old Antarctic snow and ice. This dust lets us trace the history of our solar neighborhood, including the solar system itself. <\/p>\n

    In a new study that the peer-reviewed journal Physical Review Letters<\/em> \u2013 published on May 13, 2026 \u2013 we found a subtle clue that reveals our solar system\u2019s movement through the local interstellar environment over the past 80,000 years.<\/p>\n

    \"Stardust
    This ice core from Antarctica contains stardust from supernovae, or exploding stars. An analysis revealed a material called iron-60<\/em>, an isotope of iron. Iron-60 doesn\u2019t occur naturally on Earth. Its presence in Antarctic ice shows that our solar system has traveled through a cloud of supernova debris. Image via Alfred-Wegener-Institute\/Esther Horvath\/ The Conversation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Looking down to see the sky<\/h3>\n

    Astronomy usually looks outward. Telescopes collect light from distant stars and galaxies, allowing us to observe events across vast stretches of space and time. From these observations, we infer how stars live and die, how elements are formed, and how the universe evolves.<\/p>\n

    Our approach turns that idea on its head.<\/p>\n

    Instead of observing the light coming to us, we study the debris of exploding stars right here on Earth. As cosmic furnaces, stars forge many elements in their cores, from carbon and oxygen to calcium and iron. This includes rare isotopes (variants of chemical elements) such as iron-60.<\/p>\n

    When massive stars explode into supernovae at the end of their life, these elements fly out into space and become interstellar dust. <\/p>\n

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