A newly discovered Type Ia supernova, SN 2026aaiv, has given amateur astronomers and astrophotographers a rare chance to observe and capture images of an exploding star before it fades from view. The event was first spotted by the ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey on September 1, 2026, in NGC 7331, a spiral galaxy located about 45 million light-years away in the constellation Pegasus. Known also as Caldwell 30, this galaxy is visible in the Northern Hemisphere and at mid-latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere. SN 2026aaiv was recorded at a magnitude of 15.7 on September 11, 2026, which makes it relatively dim but still brightening. Despite its faintness, hundreds of astrophotographers have already captured images of the event. Andrew McCarthy, an amateur astronomer, shared his image on Instagram on September 7, having spent 100 hours working on a project focused on the galaxy. He collected four hours of data—two before and two after the supernova’s detection. Tom Masterson, Mountain Operations Manager at the Mount Wilson Observatory, also captured the event on September 10 using a 60-inch telescope. To observe SN 2026aaiv, a large telescope is recommended. Observers have successfully seen the supernova using a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. For better visibility, the averted vision technique is advised—looking slightly to the side of the galaxy's core to use the eye’s more sensitive rod cells for detecting faint details. Smart telescopes, like the Seestar S50, can also be used to locate and image NGC 7331, the host galaxy. With about two hours of 10-second exposures, some users have managed to image SN 2026aaiv. SN 2026aaiv is located in NGC 7331, near the Great Square of Pegasus, visible in the east after dark from the Northern Hemisphere. Its precise coordinates are RA 22h 37m 05.618s, Dec +34° 24′ 35.37″. In the Northern Hemisphere, observers should look east after dark for the Great Square of Pegasus, a prominent diamond-shaped formation of four bright stars. At the northwestern corner of the square is the star Scheat, and just above it, outside the square, lies a dimmer star called Matar. NGC 7331 is nearby. In areas with light pollution, only the galaxy’s central core is visible, according to NASA. The galaxy appears partially edge-on, with striking spiral arms surrounding a bright central region. A Type Ia supernova like SN 2026aaiv occurs when a white dwarf in a binary star system accumulates enough material from its companion to trigger a runaway thermonuclear reaction, ultimately destroying the white dwarf. Another Type Ia supernova, SN 2025rbs, was discovered in the same galaxy earlier this year, on July 14, 2025. NGC 7331 was first observed in 1784 by British astronomer William Herschel, who cataloged over 2,500 deep-sky objects and discovered Uranus and its two largest moons. The galaxy is similar in size, shape, and mass to our own Milky Way.