1 Classical Nova, 2 Black Holes, & 4 Brown Dwarfs

These objects did not walk into a bar. They did, however, generate science.

One Classical Nova

One of the recurring themes in this show… and in the universe … is stellar cannibalism. As we’ve said before, it is a star-eat-star universe out there. Exactly what happens when one star gravitationally pulls material off its companion depends on the mass of the cannibal. If it is a black hole, we get an amazing light show as material works its way past the event horizon. On the other end of the mass spread, a hungry white dwarf can carry that extra mass in a lot of different ways. If it feeds just right, it will slowly add weight, building up its bulk over time, until one day it explodes as a type 1a supernova. Other stars, with a different feeding pattern, will build of material on their surface, crushing it in place, until one day that surface material gets dense enough that it goes off in a layer of thermonuclear reactions. This kind of surface explosion can occur over and over as a white dwarf repeatedly flares up in what is called a Classical Nova.

Classical novae are a favorite target for amateur astronomers who will monitor their favorites and report their flare-ups to organizations like the AAVSO. This ‘have they haven’t they gone’ flare is one of the scientifically frustrating and observationally fun characteristics of these unpredictable stars.

And it was entirely by accident that researchers happened to be pointing the eROSITA instrument on the…