The second “new star” unexpectedly appeared in the night sky, without warning, less than two weeks after the first explosion of light near the same light.
These unprecedented “stars” are made of light coming from the explosion of a rare star known as the classic Nova. Scientists believe this is the first time in recorded history. Multiple of these bright explosions are visible to the naked eye at the same time.
The first Nova, known as the V462 Lupi, initially glowed in the Lupus constellation on June 12th. Then, on June 25th, it detected another NOVA called V572 Velorum in Vela Constellation, according to Earthsky.org. Astronomers usually expect to see the classic Nova at most once a year, and it is almost unheard of for several of these explosions to shine at the same time.
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“This is definitely a very rare event, if not historical,” astronomer and author Stephen O’Meara, who scrutinizes historical records for similar examples, told Spaceweather.com. “I haven’t yet found two simultaneous NOVA occurrences that appear simultaneously.”
It was in 1936 when v630 SGR and V368 AQL were discovered within weeks of each other to approach the simultaneous Nova. But “they were not at their maximum brightness at the same time.”
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The V462 Lupi’s brightness peaked on June 20th, when it reached an apparent magnitude of +5.5. The star has since darkened slightly, but has exceeded the +6 magnitude threshold for naked eye view. The V572 Velorum is even brighter, peaking at +4.8 on June 27th (a smaller size means bright objects. For example, the moon is clearly sized -12.7.)
Eliot Herman from Astropotographer snapped Novas using a remotely operated camera in Chile (see above). The V572 Velorum, taken on June 27, shines in a vibrant blue-white light, while the V462 Lupi has a purple tint in the image captured on June 26. The Novas gradually turns red and the blue wavelength disappears from the initial field of vision.
Both Lupus and Vera constellations are located in the southern sky, making it easier to find the new Nova from the southern hemisphere. However, the V462 lupi can be seen from North America, just after sunset and near the south horizon. Vera can be seen from southern North America, including Mexico, California and Texas. This means that some people in these areas can find V572 Velorum. But that’s much less.
The object is technically bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. However, it will be easier to find if you have a decent telescope or binocular looking at the starry sky, especially if you are looking from the Northern Hemisphere.
Star explosion
Unlike supernovas, which are powerful enough to tear the stars completely, NOVA affects only the outer layer of the star.
Classic Novas such as the V462 Lupi and V572 Velorum occur in certain types of binary systems, with larger white star pulling material away from the larger partner. If enough material accumulates on the surface of a dwarf star, pressure accumulates, burns most of the stolen gas, fires bright pulsations into space, and sometimes causes explosions that can be seen from Earth.
Some Novas have repeated events that regularly blow the top. For example, the much-anticipated T Coronae borealis nova, also known as “Blaze Star,” illuminates the sky almost every 80 years. However, astronomers have predicted for the past 15 months that the fire star would be imminently reappearing, indicating that it has not yet appeared, indicating that it is not an exact science.
As this is the first recorded appearance of the V462 Lupi and V572 Velorum, it is unclear whether or not it will explode again in the future. Both will disappear from sight in the coming weeks.
Constellation Quiz: Can I name all the animals, objects, and mythical figures hidden in the night sky?
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