Can we see a super nova with the naked eye? It is regrettable that we cannot see a super nova with the naked eye because most of the super novas discovered are in far-away-galaxies, but if a super nova explosion occurred in our galaxy, it would look very bright and then we would be able to see it with the naked eye. We are expecting a super nova explosion in our galaxy soon because we have not had one in about 400 years. The light of the explosion may reach the earth tonight. Why don't you search for a new bright star? You can rarely see a super nova which is in a nearby galaxy with the naked eye. Several dozen or several hundred super novas are discovered a year which are in galaxies other than our own galaxy. You cannot see super novas with the naked eye because most of them are several thousand or several billion light-years away, and they are not bright enough for us to see. You need a telescope and photographing equipments to observe them. We observe a supernova explosion several thousand or several billion light years away from the earth, so the explosion is not actually occurring at that time. In fact, we observe explosions which occurred several thousand or several billion years ago. This fact impresses on us the vastness of the universe which greatly exceeds our imagination.

How long can we observe a super nova? The light of a super nova gradually gets brightest several days to 2weeks after the initial explosion because of a very large-scale explosion. After that, it gradually gets darker and We cannot observe it after about 2 months to 1 year even through a telescope. Some super novas change brightness while reducing lights.

　

Why do we search for super novas? Although a super nova had been known from the earliest times, it was discovered in Large Magellanic Cloud in 1987 provided a clue for studying a super nova actively. The super nova was named 1987 A. It was so bright that people could see it with the naked eye. And it was a perfect material for observing because it was the first bright super nova after the invention of observation equipment. After that , observing a super nova became active. Besides more detailed study was gone on, searching activity got enthusiastic. How a super nova explosion occurs? What happens after a explosion? We try to observe an explosion from the beginning to solve these problems. We cannot guess when and where a super nova appears. We have to study on it with amateur equipment in earnest. In my case, I don't have special know ledge. But I can search and discover a super nova. We amateurs try to search and want to have any help for the observation study in the front line.