Stephen Smartt

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Pioneer of supernova progenitor studies

For decades, astronomers assumed all massive stars end their lives in spectacular supernova explosions. But a quiet revolution in observations has revealed that some stars simply vanish—collapsing directly into black holes without the cosmic fireworks. Two confirmed cases, one in the Fireworks Galaxy and another in Andromeda, now suggest that 10 to 30 percent of massive stars may meet this silent end.

Updated May 22