Irishman Over The Moon After Discovering Supernova From His Garden Shed

An Irishman made his country's first discovery of a supernova, one of the most dramatic events of the heavens, from his garden shed, The Independent reported Thursday.

David Grennan, an amateur stargazer from Dublin, spotted what has been hailed as "the biggest thing ever discovered in Irish astronomy" minutes before he was about to go to bed after an evening spent devoted to his hobby.

The 39-year-old software developer said it was "mind-boggling" to be the first person in Ireland to witness the explosion of the 290-million-year-old star. "We are watching an event as it is unfolding, yet that event happened nearly 300 million years ago," he said.

The star has been designated "2010ik" after its supernova status was confirmed this week by international astronomy bodies.

Grennan said, "I was going to wrap things up and go to bed, and then I thought, 'Dave, you don't make discoveries in bed -- at least not those sort of discoveries'." He said his wife, Carol, was "more excited about this discovery than I was", joking, "She was over the moon."

A former chairman of Astronomy Ireland, Grennan made his discovery while poring over photographs he had taken of a galaxy called UGC 112 from his compact but well-equipped backyard observatory.

David Moore, chairman of Astronomy Ireland, said it was an unusual supernova which would interest scientists worldwide. "We could not find words to explain it, I've been waiting for this to happen for decades," he said.

The star will be visible through powerful telescopes for up to three months.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/backyard-astronomer-discovers-supernova-2099919.html