NASA’s Hubble Telescope Reaches Milestone, Looks for Elusive Supernova

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured an image of galaxy cluster MACS J0417 on September 19, 2026. This cluster functions as a gravitational lens, magnifying light from distant objects. Astronomers are conducting repeated observations to monitor for the reappearance of supernova Athena, which was first discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope in 2025. Tracking this specific supernova is essential for scientists as it helps them accurately measure the current expansion rate of the universe.