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Today in History: Kepler begins observations of bright Ophiuchus supernova

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 10:40 AM UTC · How we work

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Story summary

On 17 October 1604, German astronomer Johannes Kepler began recording the sudden appearance of a brilliant new star in Ophiuchus. The object, later identified as a Type Ia supernova now called Kepler’s Supernova, shone visibly across the Milky Way and became the last naked-eye supernova documented in our galaxy.

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Story summary

On 17 October 1604, German astronomer Johannes Kepler began recording the sudden appearance of a brilliant new star in Ophiuchus. The object, later identified as a Type Ia supernova now called Kepler’s Supernova, shone visibly across the Milky Way and became the last naked-eye supernova documented in our galaxy.