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| A distant star just exploded, went nova and is visible from Earth right now | A distant star just exploded, went nova and is visible from Earth right now |
| (6 months later) | |
| Japanese amateur astronomer Yuji Nakamura was lucky enough to witness the aftermath of a star exploding some 10,000 light years from Earth using only his trusty telescope. | Japanese amateur astronomer Yuji Nakamura was lucky enough to witness the aftermath of a star exploding some 10,000 light years from Earth using only his trusty telescope. |
| Nakamura observed the stellar explosion on March 18, 2021 using his 135-millimeter lens and a 15-second exposure. | Nakamura observed the stellar explosion on March 18, 2021 using his 135-millimeter lens and a 15-second exposure. |
| He reported the magnitude-9.6 glow to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), which deployed a series of powerful telescopes to make observations which confirmed that it was indeed a classical nova, which they dubbed V1405 Cas. | He reported the magnitude-9.6 glow to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), which deployed a series of powerful telescopes to make observations which confirmed that it was indeed a classical nova, which they dubbed V1405 Cas. |
| A classical nova is a nuclear explosion on the surface of a white dwarf star which is part of a binary pair of ageing, dying stars. These explosions usually last approximately 12 hours. | A classical nova is a nuclear explosion on the surface of a white dwarf star which is part of a binary pair of ageing, dying stars. These explosions usually last approximately 12 hours. |
| As the two stars engage in their shared death spiral, the smaller, denser white dwarf strips away material, such as hydrogen gas, from its larger partner. | As the two stars engage in their shared death spiral, the smaller, denser white dwarf strips away material, such as hydrogen gas, from its larger partner. |
| The hydrogen is then heated in the white dwarf’s atmosphere until such time as it generates nuclear fusion, releasing a phenomenal amount of energy while ejecting the remaining, unburned hydrogen into space. | The hydrogen is then heated in the white dwarf’s atmosphere until such time as it generates nuclear fusion, releasing a phenomenal amount of energy while ejecting the remaining, unburned hydrogen into space. |
| The resultant nova afterglow is expected to last for several days if not months and is still visible in the night sky in the Northern Hemisphere. | The resultant nova afterglow is expected to last for several days if not months and is still visible in the night sky in the Northern Hemisphere. |
| For those hoping to dust off their telescopes on take a look with their own eyes, the coordinates are at right ascension 23 24 47.73, declination +61 11 14.8, near the star Caph located in the constellation Cassiopeia. | For those hoping to dust off their telescopes on take a look with their own eyes, the coordinates are at right ascension 23 24 47.73, declination +61 11 14.8, near the star Caph located in the constellation Cassiopeia. |
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