... Tonight's Sky . ... Star Atlas . ... stars . ... Exploded star blooms like a cosmic flower . Astronomers are discovering that some type Ia supernova explosions may not be as symmetric as previously thought. ... Astronomers think that a type Ia supernova is a thermonuclear explosion involving the fusion of elements and release of vast amounts of energy of a white dwarf star in a tight orbit with a companion star. ... Only registered members of Astronomy.com are allowed to comment on this article. ...