Chinese astronomers recorded details of dying star's explosion in 1408: study
Just after sunset on an October evening in 1408, six years into the reign of the Ming dynasty's
Emperor Yongle, Chinese court
astronomers spotted a mysterious new star glowing high in the southern sky, near the heart of the Milky Way.
'It was about the size of a cup-shaped oil lamp, with a pure yellow colour, smooth and bright,' according to Hanlin Academy scholar Hu Guang, in a formal report to the emperor that interpreted its appearance as a heavenly endorsement.
'We, your ministers, have encountered this auspicious sign, and respectfully offer our congratulations … This splendid omen is truly a sign of an enlightened era,' Hu wrote, praising the ruler whose sweeping ambition had launched
Zheng He's treasure fleets and extended China's reach as far as Africa.
'The star remained stationary and calm over 10 days of measurement and observation,' he noted, in a rediscovered memorial that has settled a long-standing debate among modern astronomers about the true nature of the 1408 event.
While earlier records were too brief to draw firm conclusions, this official account confirms that the phenomenon was a nova – the slow, temporary brightening caused by a dying star – rather than a comet or meteor flashing through the sky.
The discovery was reported last week by researchers from China, Germany, and Chile in peer-reviewed The Astronomical Journal. The unprecedented details, including the star's size and brightness, also helped the team to narrow down the star's possible position.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese engineers bring artillery-launched drones from concept to life
After 12 years of technical hurdles and scepticism, China has successfully tested artillery-launched drones capable of surviving the crushing load in a 155mm (6 inches) cannon shell. Five live-fire trials at a western test base confirmed the drones endured launch forces exceeding 3,000 times their own weight – comparable to 35 adult African elephants on a person. The advance centres on a pyrotechnic ejection mechanism co-developed by the Shaanxi Applied Physics and Chemistry Research Institute, the Chinese air force, and defence contractor Norinco. This highly reliable but low-cost system orchestrates a sequence of precisely timed detonations to separate the drone from its artillery shell mid-flight while shielding it from aerodynamic damage – all without electronic controls. These drones can 'reach distances exceeding 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) in seconds, multiply flight range, significantly save power consumption and extend loiter time,' the team, led by senior engineer Huang Yunluan, wrote. A look inside at the artillery-launched drone system. Photo: Shaanxi Applied Physics and Chemistry Research Institute First proposed by Chinese military scientists in 2013, a cannon-launching design named Tianyan ('sky eye') gained attention in a new-concept aircraft competition, according to state-run China News Service.
South China Morning Post
11 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese military robotics lab creates mosquito-sized microdrone for covert operations
A robotics laboratory at the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT) in central China's Hunan province has developed a mosquito-sized drone for covert military operations. NUDT researchers showed their work on different types of robots – from humanoid machines to tiny drones barely visible to the eye – in a report aired on CCTV 7, China Central Television's military channel, on June 14. 'Here in my hand is a mosquito-like type of robot. Miniature bionic robots like this one are especially suited to information reconnaissance and special missions on the battlefield', Liang Hexiang, a student at NUDT, told CCTV while holding up the drone between his fingers. 08:18 Flying taxis, airships and drones: the rise of China's low-altitude economy Flying taxis, airships and drones: the rise of China's low-altitude economy In the video of the UAV, two tiny wings with a leaflike structure were attached to the sides of the stick-shaped drone body along with three hair-thin 'legs'. The report highlighting advances in robotics engineering also showed a prototype controlled via smartphone with four wings, two moving horizontally on each side of the body. Their tiny size makes manufacturing this new type of drone challenging: sensors, power devices, control circuits and other elements must fit into an extremely limited space. It requires collaboration between various disciplines, such as the engineering of microscopic devices, materials science and bionics. The micro UAV Black Hornet, a palm-sized, helicopter-shaped drone developed in Norway, is widely used by armed forces around the globe today.
South China Morning Post
14 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese scientists create edible fruit coating that ‘more than doubles' shelf life
Chinese scientists have developed an edible, washable protein-based coating that can extend the shelf life of fruits by 2½ times, by reducing moisture loss and microbial growth. Advertisement The low-cost coating was tested across 17 varieties of whole and cut fruits, including strawberry, tomato, kiwi and mango. It was shown to effectively delay rot by almost a week or more, at a cost of just 9 US cents per kilogram of fruit, according to a recent paper in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications. The new strategy is as effective as existing preservation methods but reduces carbon dioxide emissions and the potential for toxicity, offering a promising solution to a major factor in global food waste 'Addressing critical challenges in perishable fruit preservation…we present an eco-friendly amyloid-like protein coating strategy developed through computer-aided molecular simulation,' the team led by researchers at Shaanxi Normal University said in their paper published on May 31. 'With edible properties, easy washability, and low cost, the coating demonstrates universal applicability for post-harvest and fresh-cut fruits.' Advertisement Around a third of all food produced globally is wasted, most of it perishable items like fruits and vegetables.
