Astronomers have detected the most intense nova ever recorded beyond our galaxy in the Large Magellanic Cloud, shattering temperature records and revealing unexpected chemical signatures.
The recurrent nova LMCN 1968-12a, located in a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, erupted again in August 2024. This event marked the first-ever near-infrared analysis of a recurrent nova outside our galaxy, using the Magellan Baade and Gemini South telescopes in Chile.
Observations showed temperatures reaching up to 5.4 million degrees Fahrenheit (3 million degrees Celsius), which is significantly hotter than previous events observed in the Milky Way. The brightness and chemical profile of this nova set it apart from similar events.
The anomaly suggests a rarefied and extremely hot environment, hinting at a deeper link between local galactic chemistry and eruption intensity. This is due to the presence of heavy elements in the star system, which allows more hydrogen and helium to accumulate on the white dwarf before detonation.
A nova occurs when a white dwarf pulls in gas from a nearby companion star, forming an accretion disk that gradually piles onto the surface. As pressure and temperature spike, it ignites a thermonuclear runaway reaction, causing a powerful burst of energy.
The regularity of these eruptions has made LMCN 1968-12a a benchmark object since its first detection in 1968. Observations since 1990 have revealed a roughly four-year cycle, giving astronomers a rare chance to study the effects of time, composition, and eruption physics across decades.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/04/dead-star-blew-top-record-breaking-style