This engaging volume guides readers into the hearts of massive stars on a journey toward understanding one of the universe's most fascinating occurrences, a supernova event that signifies the end of a star's life. By exploring the origins of star formation and stellar evolutionary paths, students will come to understand the conditions that lead to the explosive deaths of massive stars, including an in-depth look at the groundbreaking detection of Supernova 1987A, the closest supernova observed in the past four hundred years. Additionally, readers will learn about the supernova research currently being conducted by universities across the world and by space agencies such as NASA.