Supernova Explosion
When working with abstract or unseen phenomena, the artist must be able to translate verbal descriptions from scientists or science writers. When I did this illustration for Scientific American, a supernova had never been seen or photographed.

A nova system begins when a red giant envelops a smaller star, uses all its fuel, then becomes a white dwarf. The less massive star sheds matter onto the surface of the white dwarf and is compressed by the high gravitational field. Then, a thermonuclear reaction—a nova explosion—takes place.

Deep within the emitted gases are clumps of dense material, probably from the white dwarf's interior. Radiation from violent nuclear reactions on the white dwarf (center) continue to heat clumps of dense material (pink), a light year wide cloud-like ring, that expand until the supernova burns out.

Shown in this unprecedented Hubble telescope image, an actual supernova remnant, surrounded by rings of material, is set in a forest of ethereal, diffuse clouds of gas. Learn more about supernovas at: http://hubblesite.org

Credits:
Illustration: Kathy Konkle
Science Editor: Philip Yam
Published in Scientific American, January 1995