A zombie star’s spiky filaments shed light on a 12th century supernova

How the filaments have held their shape for so long remains a mystery 

A glowing sphere with purple spikes appearing to grow out of it

A shell of dust and a crown of spiky filaments surround the supernova remnant Pa 30 (illustrated), which is associated with a stellar explosion seen from Earth in 1181.

Adam Makarenko, W.M. Keck Observatory

Some 7,500 light-years from Earth lurks a zombie star cloaked in long tendrils of hot sulfur.