Supernovas on Stamps

The United States issued the first stamp featuring a supernova in 1969, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the discovery of Cepheid variable stars.

Type Ia supernovas are the most common type depicted on stamps due to their relative frequency and the fact that they are well-studied and understood.

The Soviet Union issued a stamp in 1987 to commemorate the discovery of SN 1987A, a nearby supernova that was visible to the naked eye.

China issued a stamp in 2005 featuring the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant located in the constellation Taurus.

Italy issued a stamp in 2010 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the observation of SN 1604, a supernova that was visible to the naked eye and was studied by Galileo Galilei.

The United Kingdom issued a stamp in 2017 featuring SN 1054, a supernova that occurred in the constellation Taurus and is known for its beautiful remnant, the Crab Nebula.

The United States issued a stamp in 2019 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Cepheid variable stars, which are important for measuring distances in the universe.

Canada issued a stamp in 2020 featuring Cassiopeia A, a supernova remnant located in the constellation Cassiopeia.

The United States issued a stamp in 2021 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of pulsars, which are rapidly rotating neutron stars that emit pulses of radiation.

Japan issued a stamp in 2022 featuring SN 1987A, a nearby supernova that was visible to the naked eye.

India issued a stamp in 2023 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, an Indian-American astrophysicist who made significant contributions to the study of supernovas.

Australia issued a stamp in 2024 featuring the Vela Supernova Remnant, a supernova remnant located in the constellation Vela.

The United States issued a stamp in 2025 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, which has made significant observations of supernovas.

China issued a stamp in 2026 featuring SN 1572, a supernova that was observed by Tycho Brahe and is known for its bright appearance.