The matter beyond the ring: the recent evolution of SN 1987A observed by the Hubble Space Telescope

Understand

The nearby SN 1987A offers a spatially resolved view of the evolution of a young supernova remnant.

• Here we precent recent Hubble Space Telescope imaging observations of SN 1987A, which we use to study the evolution of the ejecta, the circumstellar equatorial ring (ER) and the increasing emission from material outside the ER.
• We find that the inner ejecta have been brightening at a gradually slower rate and that the western side has been brighter than the eastern side since ~7000 days.
• This is expected given that the X-rays from the ER are most likely powering the ejecta emission.