Scientists and amateur astronomers are foregoing sleep as the closest, brightest supernova of its kind in 25 years lights up the night sky.

The supernova, known as PTF 11kly, was discovered at the Palomar Observatory near San Diego and at a government laboratory in Berkeley. The discovery has sparked interest among astronomers worldwide because it was seen so soon after the explosion became visible on August 23. This is the first supernova to be this close to Earth in 25 years and brighter than any seen in nearly 40 years.

"It is an instant cosmic classic," said Peter Nugent, the senior scientist at UC Berkeley who first spotted it.

PTF 11kly occurred in the Pinwheel Galaxy located in the Big Dipper constellation. The star involved was likely a white dwarf that is only 1.4 times the mass of our sun. Although supernovas are common, most occur about 1 billion light years away and are too faint to be visible. PTF 11kly presents astronomers with the rare chance of observing a supernova only 21 million light years away.

"There are billions of stars in a galaxy. This supernova will outshine them all this weekend," Nugent told Reuters.

Amateur astronomers will be able to see the supernova with just a good pair of high resolution binoculars or a 3-inch or longer telescope. Nugent advised stargazers that the best time to see the supernova is on September 12, just after the full moon. The best time frame is just a few hours after sunset or before the moon rises when the skies are darkest and the supernova is at its brightest.

PTF 11kly will appear as a blueish-white star, just above and to the left of the last two stars in the Big Dipper handle.

Other supernova explosions have occurred in the Pinwheel Galaxy at least three times before in recorded times in 1909, 1951 and 1971.

This supernova is classed as a Type 1a. The exploding star was part of a binary system of stars that had already burned away its hydrogen and helium in its core, leaving only carbon and oxygen as fuel for the final explosion.

Supernovas are important to scientists because every explosion is responsible for the elements that make up matter in the universe.

"All the calcium in our bones, all the iron in our blood, all the chemicals in our bodies, came originally from supernovas that exploded even before the Earth was formed," Nugent said.