The universe is full of wonders and mysteries. Images of an expanding fireball of a nova explosion have finally been observed in miraculous detail for the first time ever. A nova is the thermonuclear explosion of hydrogen on the surface of a dead star called a white dwarf.
When a white dwarf comes into a very close orbit with a companion star, it can suck hydrogen off the other star onto its own surface.
Once this hydrogen ocean reaches a depth of around 200 metres, gravity produces enough pressure to trigger thermonuclear fusion, which is pretty much a stellar atomic bomb that is visible many light years away.
This powerful wonderous nova explosion that was bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, is providing scientists with new clues about these powerful stellar blasts.
Artist’s conception of a star system responsible for a nova explosion. A stream of matter is being drawn from the donor star (right) by the compact white dwarf (left)
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