Magnetars may be power source of superluminous supernovae: Study

Researchers identified the power source behind superluminous supernovae, which shine 10-100 times brighter than normal ones. A study of a supernova about one billion light-years away revealed unusual brightness "chirps" that sped up over time. They captured birth of a magnetar, a rapidly spinning, highly magnetised neutron star, and proposed that it likely powers superluminous supernovae.