Supernovae: theory versus observations

This talk is devoted to discuss some observational facts concerning the supernova 1987a in the Large Magellanic Clouds (LMC) and their theoretical implications on the evolution of the progenitor stellar system and of the supernova itself. The observational properties of a new class of supernovae now addressed as type Ib supernovae are briefly discussed. Two theoretical models which have been proposed for these supernovae progenitor systems and exploding mechanisms are shortly analysed since these present implications that are strictly connected with the arguments discussed in this section devoted to the underground particle physics. In the introduction some main observational and theoretical features concerning supernovae are recalled. (author). 21 refs.; 1 fig.; 1 tab