SN 1006

How did astronomers know that SN 1006 was the brightest supernova?

Answer #1

Because of many historical descriptions of the event - it cast shadows, you could read at midnight by it’s light, it could be seen during the day, half the size of the moon, 3 times the size of Venus, etc. Note that it had the brightest apparent magnitude, not that it was the most intrinsically powerful supernova.

In short, no other supernova has matched the description of SN 1006.

(General note - SN 1006 - refers to (S)uper (N)ova in the year 1006 CE

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