Author(s)

Baha T. Chiad, Layth M. Karim, Lana T. Ali

Department of Astronomy and Space, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Department of Physics, University of Baghdad. Baghdad, Iraq.

Physical properties of supernova 1987A were investigated including: Expansion velocity; Current mass; Radius; Temperature and the Rate of the expansion by applying Counting Pixels Method (CPM) in comparison with the application of the Povida and Self-Similar Solution theoretical models which in forced the idea for adopting such a model to be applied for supernova type II. Then tow results are found to be in a good agreement with the Self-Similar solution model rather than that of Povida model. The high density of the region that surrounded the exploding system acting as decelerating parameter and down the expansion velocity of the supernova from 3900 km·s^-1 to 1200 km·s^-1 during the past 23 years from the explosion, with a current size equal 0.39 pc, and with an expansion rate of 0.41 per a year.

Supernovae; Individual (SN 1987A)-Supernova Remnants

B. Chiad, L. Karim and L. Ali, "Study the Radial Expansion of SN 1987A Using Counting Pixels Method," International Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 2 No. 4, 2012, pp. 199-203. doi: 10.4236/ijaa.2012.24025.