When a White Dwarf Turned into a Thermonuclear Fireball – Sky & Telescope
In this artist's view, a white dwarf (left) robs gas from its companion star. The material spirals down to the dwarf's surface, where it's compressed and ultimately ignites in a thermonuclear blast. ESO / M. Kornmesser
For the first time, astronomers have spotted the X-ray flash that was issued as the entire surface of a distant stellar remnant ignited in a colossal fireball. The observation, reported in the May 12th issue of Nature, adds the last missing piece to the puzzle of white dwarfs gone nova.
A New Star
On July 15, 2020, amateur astronomer Robert McNaught noticed a new star in the sky from his observatory in Australia. The nova, dubbed YZ Reticuli, ultimately brightened 1,500-fold to magnitude 3.7, making it clearly visible to the unaided e...