Ancient astronomers saw a supernova. Scientists just captured the explosion. [Video]

A strange light suddenly appeared in the sky some 1,800 years ago. Chinese astronomers recorded the event, calling it a “guest star.” It turns out the light, visible for eight months, was an exploded star, a violent supernova deep in our galaxy.

Now in the 21st century, scientists at the National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab — which runs big telescopes across the U.S. and elsewhere — turned a giant telescope to the cosmic scene, capturing a rare, detailed view of the historic blast. This fragmented ring-like cloud of space debris is called RCW 86.

“Draped around the outer edges of this star-filled image are wispy tendrils that appear to be flying away from a central point, like the tattered remains of a burst balloon,” NOIRLab said in a statement(Opens in a new tab). “These cloud-like features are thought to be the glowing remains of a supernova that was witnessed by Chinese astronomers in …