The great supernova of 1987

Seven hundred day after the explosion of the brightest supernova in four centuries, astronomers continue to be both excited and perplexed by its behavior. By now, the supernova has received considerably attention in the literature. This paper emphasizes several aspects of the supernova that continue to be of special interest. These include: the evolution of the presupernova star, why it was blue, what its composition and core structure were; the iron core mass, explosion mechanism, and certain aspects of the neutrino burst; the detailed isotopic composition of the ejecta; the light curve and the requirement for mixing; the expected continued evolution of the supernova at all wavelengths given both the presence of several radioactivities as well as a central collapsed object as a power source; and late breaking news regarding the pulsar