Why are Type II supernovae usually found near the arms of spiral galaxies?

Type II supernovae are typically found near the arms of spiral galaxies because they originate from very massive stars, known as Population I stars.1

These massive stars have relatively short lifespans and reach the end of their active, energy-generating lifetimes quickly. Because they do not live long enough to travel far from their birthplaces, they are found in the same regions where they formed—the spiral arms, which are sites of active star formation rich in the gas and dust necessary for creating new stars. Once these massive stars exhaust their nuclear fuel, their cores collapse, resulting in the cataclysmic explosion characteristic of a Type II supernova.12