Supernova 1987a: Celebrating a Silver Jubilee

Abstract

Abstract. The story of the SN 1987A explosion is briefly reviewed. Although this supernova was somewhat peculiar, the study of SN 1987A has clarified quite a number of important aspects of the nature and the properties of supernovae, such as the confirmation of the core collapse of a massive star as the cause of the explosion, as well the confirmation that the decays 56 Ni-56 Co-56 Fe at early times and 44 Ti-44 Sc at late times, are the main sources of the energy radiated by the ejecta. Still we have not been able to ascertain whether the progenitor was a single star or a binary system, nor have we been able to detect the stellar remnant, a neutron star that should be produced in the core collapse process.