Cosmic dusts that contain elements such as oxygen, carbon, and iron play a vital role in the formation of both stars and planets. However, the early form of galaxies consisted of gas only; dust came hundreds of years later. The existence of dust has been a subject of many scientific researchers through the years.
After numerous years of research, astronomers were able to observe cosmic dust, which appeared to have survived the aftermath of a supernova, the Science Journal reported.
With the use of infrared images gathered by the Faint object Infrared Camera Telescope (FORCAST) aboard Boeing 747, Stratospheric observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), Dr. Lau alongside colleagues, located a remnant of a supernova near the Milky Way bearing a substantial amount of cosmic dusts. Currently, there is still no telescope in the space that can observe via remote infrared wavelengths. Ground-based telescopes, still, do not have the capability of observing light at this wavelength because of the atmosphere.
Ryan Lau, a Cornell University astronomer told the Cornell publication, "When a supernova explodes, it forms a bunch of dust. But dust is a pretty fragile material. So the question is, who's to say the dust survives this extremely hot, violent environment? And if it does, how much?"
"We're seeing a 10,000-year-old supernova, the oldest supernova found with dust inside it. About 7 to 20 percent of the dust mass initially formed survived," Lau said.
The direct observation of this cosmic dust marks a milestone as it opens another clue into how the galaxy has evolved all these years.