Astronomers have identified the star that preceded supernova SN 2025pht using archival observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA reported on 23 February. The explosion was observed in June 2025 in galaxy NGC 1637, about 40 million light-years away.
The earlier infrared observations allowed researchers to investigate a red supergiant before its destruction, linking an observed explosion to the properties of its progenitor. Such comparisons help scientists test how massive stars evolve and end their lives. The study represents a new use of Webb's growing archive: images taken for one purpose can become crucial evidence when a later event changes the same region of the sky. The findings concern this particular supernova, rather than establishing one pathway for every stellar explosion.