Astronomers have recently discovered a nova called AT 2023prq. The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) detected it on August 15, 2023 in the Andromeda galaxy
Astronomers have performed photometric and spectroscopic observations of the nova. They found periodic variations in the light curve, with a period of about 3.06 hours. They also identified mini-flares with peak-to-peak amplitudes of up to 0.5 mag.
Studying novae is important for understanding fundamental astrophysical processes, such as stellar evolution.
A nova is a star that suddenly increases in brightness and then slowly returns to its original state. This process can take many months. Novas often start as white dwarf stars that are part of a binary star system.
Astronomers Michael Healy-Kalesh and Daniel Perley from the Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, UK, were among the first to observe AT 2023prq after it was identified. They used the Liverpool Telescope (LT) and various other ground-based facilities to monitor the nova until the end of August 2023.
A nova occurs when a white dwarf star in a binary system steals gas from its companion star. The white dwarf is the dense core of a star that has died. The white dwarf heats the material it draws from its companion, causing an uncontrolled reaction that releases a burst of energy. This explosion throws a thin shell of gas outward, causing the nova’s sudden brightness.
The gas ejected in a nova explosion moves outwards at 1000–2000 km/sec. The nova’s brightness increases by hundreds to millions of times, then slowly fades over weeks or months.
The word nova comes from the Latin nova stella, which means “new star”. Before telescopes were invented, people thought that novas were new stars because they appeared where no star had been seen before
Novas are stars that suddenly increase in brightness by a factor of 100 to 10,000 in a single day. They can become the brightest object in the sky, aside from the sun and moon. Novas can reach maximum luminosity within hours and shine intensely for several days or weeks.
Some examples of novas include:
- Nova Cygni 1975: Reached magnitude 2.0 in the constellation Cygnus
- V1280 Scorpii: Reached magnitude 3.7 on February 17, 2007
- Nova Delphini 2013: A recent nova
Extragalactic novae are eruptive variable stars that are difficult to detect and characterize. They can provide evidence of close binary systems and teach us about cataclysmic binary host populations.
Extragalactic novae have been observed since the early 20th century. They are challenging to detect and characterize.
Dr. Allen Shafter’s program involves:
- Determining nova rates in nearby galaxies
- Observing novae in local group galaxies with the Hobbey-Eberly Telescope
- Observing novae in local group galaxies with the Spitzer Space Telescope
Allen Wayne Shafter also wrote a book about extragalactic novae called Extragalactic Novae: A Historical Perspective. The book was first published in 2019.
Astronomers have recently discovered a number of things about novas:
- Peculiar nova eruption Astronomers found periodic variations in the light curve of the nova, with a period of about 3.06 hours. They also identified mini-flares with peak-to-peak amplitudes of up to 0.5 mag.
- Red nova Astronomers observed a red nova in 2020, which they concluded was a star destroying its own planet.
- V1674 Hercules nova Researchers spotted strange radio emissions from deep inside the nova, which were different from the high-temperature emissions normally seen during such events.
Other things astronomers have discovered about novas include:
- The mixing fraction in classical novae
- M87’s jet triggering novae
- KT Eridani is a recurrent nova
- The fastest nova yet
- A new type of star explosion called a micronova
Astronomers estimate that the Milky Way experiences roughly 30 to 60 novae per year.
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