Why are white dwarf supernovae more useful than massive star supernovae for measuring cosmic distances?
A)White dwarf supernovae are much more common than massive star supernovae.
B)We can see only white dwarf supernovae in distant galaxies, not massive star supernovae.
C)White dwarf supernovae follow a period- luminosity relation, while massive supernovae do not.
D)White dwarf supernovae all have roughly the same true peak luminosity, while massive supernovae come in a wide range of peak luminosities.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

White dwarf supernovae all have roughly the same true peak luminosity, which makes them ideal standard candles for measuring astronomical distances. Massive star supernovae, on the other hand, come in a wide range of peak luminosities, making them less precise for distance measurements.

Why Are White Dwarf Supernovae More Useful Than Massive Star