Just 60 days after a star explodes, it's already starting to cook up the ingredients needed to build new planets.
March 26, 2026
Original Paper
Near-Infrared and Optical Observations of SN 2024rbc: The First Early Detection of CO and Dust in a Type Ib Supernova
arXiv · 2603.23877
The Takeaway
We used to think the 'seeds' for future planets—dust and complex molecules—took a long time to condense in the wreckage of a supernova. This first-ever early detection found carbon monoxide and dust forming in record time, proving that the raw materials for entire solar systems are assembled almost immediately in the wake of a star's destruction.
From the abstract
We present optical and near-infrared (NIR) observations of the Type Ib supernova (SN) 2024rbc. Emission from the first CO overtone, resting on a dust continuum at $2.3-2.4$ $\mu$m, was observed at 62 days post-explosion. The CO band heads are not seen; the emission is broad and devoid of sharp spectral structure. This is the first observation of CO in the ejecta of a Type Ib SN reported in literature. Fitting a LTE model to the CO overtone derives a mass of $(5.2 \pm 1.2)$ $\times$ 10$^{-4}$ $M_