This artist’s concept illustrates Supernova 1987A as the powerful blast wave passes through its outer ring and destroys most of its dust, before the dust re-forms or grows rapidly. Observations by SOFIA, a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope, reveal that such dust — which makes up the building blocks of stars and planets — can re-form or grow immediately after the catastrophic damage caused by the supernova’s blast wave.

Video Credit: NASA