This enlarged view of Supernova 1987a was recorded by the Hubble Space Telescope at a visible light wavelength (specifically that of a spectral line caused by ionized oxygen gas). The structure in this image took many astronomers by surprise. The fuzzy spot in the center is material that was ejected when the star exploded and will eventually become the supernova remnant. The three rings were formed when the brilliant light from the supernova ionized gas around the star; the rings are not material thrown off by the explosion.
Most incredible about this image is the fact that there are three rings rather than one. The rings are actually an hourglass-shaped cloud seen end-on; the small ring is the
