10-year-old Canadian Girl Discovers Supernova

A 10-year-old girl from Canada has discovered a supernova, making her the youngest person ever to find a stellar explosion. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada announced the discovery by Kathryn Aurora Gray of Fredericton, New Brunswick, who was assisted by astronomers Paul Gray and David Lane.

Supernova 2010lt is a magnitude-17 supernova in galaxy UGC 3378, in the constellation of Camelopardalis, as reported on IAU Electronic Telegram 2618. The galaxy was imaged on New Year’s Eve 2010, and the supernova was discovered on Jan. 2, 2011, by Kathryn and her father Paul. The observations were made from Abbey Ridge Observatory, and this is the third supernova seen from this observatory. It was Lane’s fourth supernova discovery, Paul Gray’s seventh, and Kathryn Gray’s first.