truePhysics & Astronomypa05/01/2024Ask the expert: The nova in our 'galactic backyard'Elias Aydi shares the story of a star explosion that will soon light up the night sky
  • Elias Aydi researches novae — the plural of stellar explosions known as nova — at Michigan State University. Within the next year or so, people all over the Northern Hemisphere will have a chance to see the brightest nova in the night sky since 1942.
  • Aydi explains what a nova is, how it differs from a supernova and why this event is special, even for the casual stargazer.
  • The nova also presents a unique opportunity for Aydi and the astrophysics community to learn more about how the cosmos work.
Matt DavenportA white dwarf star (center) pulls matter off its much larger yellow, companion star. An accretion disc forms around the white dwarf and, eventually, the material in this disc will undergo a thermonuclear explosion.