A supernova was the detonation of a main sequence star, creating a massive explosion that released incredible amounts of energy.
Supernovae[]
Omega used his remote stellar manipulator (the Hand of Omega) to send the star Qqaba supernova, thus providing power for early Gallifreyan time travel experiments. (TV: The Three Doctors, Remembrance of the Daleks, COMIC: Star Death)
The Seventh Doctor also used the Hand of Omega, programming it and allowing the Imperial Daleks to obtain it so they could gain the same power over time as the Time Lords. He programmed the Hand of Omega (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks) to detonate Skaro's second sun, (PROSE: The Stranger) sending it supernova and vaporising Skaro. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks) One account claimed that the Hand of Omega made Antalin's star go supernova and vaporise the planet instead of Skaro. (PROSE: War of the Daleks)
The Doomsday Weapon was also capable of causing supernovas since it exploded stars; it created the Crab Nebula. (TV: Colony in Space)
The Third Doctor visited an unnamed planet which was about to be destroyed by a supernova. (COMIC: The Labyrinth)
The Spidrons hid their home solar system behind the illusion of a supernova. (COMIC: Nova)
The planet Proamon was destroyed in a supernova. (TV: Dragonfire)
Humanity relocated to the Crab Nebula after Sol went supernova. (COMIC: The Keep)
The Fourth Doctor set co-ordinates for the constellation of Canthares. (TV: Image of the Fendahl) He later threw Eustace into the Canthares supernova, causing it to collapse into a black hole. (AUDIO: The Dalek Trap, Island of the Fendahl)
The Eighth Doctor defeated the Daleks and the Threshold by making Crivello's sun go supernova. (COMIC: Fire and Brimstone)
The Tenth Doctor compared the eruption of Krakatoa to a lovely twin supernova that could be viewed near Deneb-3. (COMIC: Under the Volcano)
According to Sarah Jane Smith, the Doctor took her to see supernovas. (TV: School Reunion)
The Tenth Doctor used the massive power of a supernova to contact Rose in a parallel universe which was thought to have been permanently sealed. (TV: Doomsday)
The Eleventh Doctor claimed that he threw his TARDIS Instruction Manual into a supernova because he "disagreed with it". (TV: Amy's Choice) In another occasion, he claimed to have prevented two supernovas. (HOMEVID: Good Night)
The explosion of the Doctor's TARDIS caused every sun to go supernova at every point in history, leaving Earth as the only world in the universe until the universe itself was rebooted. (TV: The Pandorica Opens)
The Hyperions, a race of benevolent living suns, evolved into malevolent supernovae. (COMIC: The Hyperion Empire)
The Thirteenth Doctor tricked a Dalek into falling into a supernova. (TV: Resolution)
Other references[]
In December 1986, Tom Barclay suggested that a Z-Bomb strike against Mondas would deliver a "terrific" blast of radiation upon the planet which could turn into a sun then a supernova. Ultimately, the weapon was not deployed and Earth survived the destruction of its twin planet. (TV: The Tenth Planet)
The Seventh Doctor noted that the destruction of a passing strange matter asteroid would send off a blast of gamma rays equivalent to a supernova, incinerating the planet Lakertya and everything else in its corner of the galaxy. (TV: Time and the Rani)
Danny Pink described Bradley's torch as a "pocket supernova". (TV: In the Forest of the Night)