Andromeda’s Silent Collapse: A Failed Supernova

Astronomers have tracked M31-2014-DS1, a 20-solar-mass star in the Andromeda galaxy, which mysteriously dimmed between 2014 and 2023 without a supernova. Instead, it quietly collapsed into a black hole, leaving 6.5 solar masses behind. This ‘failed supernova’ aligns with N6946-BH1, suggesting 20-30% of massive stars might end similarly. While X-ray confirmation is pending, this discovery humorously underscores that not all stellar finales are fireworks.