What astronomical event marks the catastrophic, explosive death of a massive star after it runs out of nuclear fuel, often briefly outshining an entire galaxy?

💡 Explanation:

A supernova is the largest explosion that takes place in space. It occurs either when a massive star exhausts its core fuel and collapses under gravity (Type II), or when a white dwarf accretes too much matter from a companion star (Type Ia). These events are crucial for distributing heavy elements throughout the universe.