Astronomers Capture Complex Dynamics of Nova Explosions, Revealing New Insights
Astronomers have captured detailed images of nova explosions, revealing the complexity of these stellar events. Using interferometry and spectrometry, researchers studied two novae, V1674 Her and V1405 Cas, both known for their gamma-ray emissions. V1674 Her, a fast nova, showed material being expelled in multiple interacting ejections just days after the explosion. In contrast, V1405 Cas, a slow nova, exhibited delayed ejection of material, with significant expulsion occurring 50 days post-explosion. These observations, published in Nature Astronomy, provide new insights into the mechanisms of nova explosions, challenging the previous notion of them being simple, singular events.