SN 2011fe in Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) (IMAGE) DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Caption The Palomar Transient Factory caught SN 2011fe in the Pinwheel Galaxy in the vicinity of the Big Dipper on Aug. 24, 2011. Found just hours after it exploded and only 21 million light years away, the discovery triggered the closest-ever look at a young Type Ia supernova. Credit Image by B. J. Fulton, Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Usage Restrictions With credit as given. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.