Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery of an exceptional nova explosion in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. The team used near-infrared spectroscopy to analyze the light emitted by the nova, revealing extraordinary energy signatures from silicon atoms that shone at nearly 100 times brighter than the sun.
The LMCN 1968-12A nova differs significantly from typical novas, with its metal-poor companion star and high coronal temperature of 5.4 million degrees Fahrenheit (3 million degrees Celsius). This unique combination may explain why usual spectral lines associated with recurrent novas are absent in this case.
The research, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, provides new insights into the behavior of these rare objects and has significant implications for our understanding of stellar explosions. With only a handful of recurrent novas detected within the Milky Way galaxy, studying these events outside our galaxy offers valuable opportunities to advance our knowledge.
While more research is needed to confirm this hypothesis, the findings from LMCN 1968-12A provide a fascinating glimpse into the mysterious world of stellar explosions and the potential for discovering life on exoplanets orbiting dead stars.
Source: https://www.space.com/the-universe/shocking-nova-explosion-of-dead-star-was-100-times-brighter-than-the-sun