Are these real supernovae?

Yes — real reported discoveries collated by Rochester Astronomy, named through the IAU's Transient Name Server. Entries marked AT are genuine transients that haven't been spectroscopically classified yet.

Does it need an API key?

No. The source page is public and key-less; a small background script reads it and saves a snapshot the saver loads.

Does it work offline?

The last snapshot still displays offline, but fresh discoveries need an internet connection.

Could I see one of these myself?

Sometimes. Anything brighter than about magnitude 15 is within reach of a backyard telescope with a camera; the fainter rows need professional gear.

Yes — free, no download, in your browser.

Supernova Discovery Feed Screensaver

The Supernova Discovery Feed screensaver tickers real recently reported supernovae and extragalactic transients, each with its host galaxy, brightness and discovery date, compiled from David Bishop's Latest Supernovae page at Rochester Astronomy. It's free, needs an internet connection, and ESC exits.

How the Supernova Discovery Feed screensaver works

A background pipeline reads Rochester Astronomy's Latest Supernovae list — the long-running amateur-and-professional clearing house for new extragalactic transients.

Names follow the IAU's Transient Name Server convention: AT for an astronomical transient still awaiting classification, SN once it's confirmed as a supernova.

Each row shows the host galaxy where the star exploded (or that the host is unknown) plus its apparent magnitude — the smaller the number, the brighter it looks from Earth.

The right-hand column carries the discovery date, and the spectral type once someone has taken a spectrum.

A worked example

A row reading AT2026wfl · in M31 · mag 20.0 is a transient spotted in the Andromeda galaxy at magnitude 20 — far too faint for the eye, an easy target for a modest telescope with a camera. Most rows arrive as AT and only later become SN, once a spectrum settles what actually blew up.

Settings & tips

Feed speed controls how quickly new rows ease up the screen.
Magnitude runs backwards: magnitude 14 is roughly 250 times brighter than magnitude 20.
Run automation/run.py supernovafeed on your pipeline machine to refresh the list.

Frequently asked questions

Are these real supernovae?: Yes — real reported discoveries collated by Rochester Astronomy, named through the IAU's Transient Name Server. Entries marked AT are genuine transients that haven't been spectroscopically classified yet.
Does it need an API key?: No. The source page is public and key-less; a small background script reads it and saves a snapshot the saver loads.
Does it work offline?: The last snapshot still displays offline, but fresh discoveries need an internet connection.
Could I see one of these myself?: Sometimes. Anything brighter than about magnitude 15 is within reach of a backyard telescope with a camera; the fainter rows need professional gear.
Is it free?: Yes — free, no download, in your browser.

← All Space & Astronomy screensavers