Explosion of a recurrent nova (IMAGE)

Arizona State University

Explosion of a recurrent nova

Caption

Artist's interpretation of the explosion of a recurrent nova, RS Ophiuchi. This is a binary star in the constellation of Ophiuchus and is approximately 5,000 light-years away. It explodes roughly every 20 years when the gas flowing from the large star that falls onto the white dwarf reaches temperatures exceeding ten million degrees.

Credit

David A. Hardy

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Must request permission to use from David A. Hardy

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