Close-up images show how stars explode in real time
Astronomers have captured images of two stellar explosions—known as novae—within days of their eruption and in unprecedented detail. The breakthrough provides direct evidence that these explosions are more complex than ...
The international study, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, used a cutting-edge technique called interferometry at the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA Array) in California. This approach allowed scientists to combine the light from multiple telescopes, achieving the sharp resolution needed to directly image the rapidly evolving explosions.
"The images give us a close-up view of how material is ejected away from the star during the explosion," said Georgia State's Gail Schaefer, director of the CHARA Array. "Catching these transient events requires flexibility to adapt our nighttime schedule as new targets of opportunity are discovered."
Novae occur when a dense stellar remnant called a white dwarf undergoes a runaway nuclear reaction after stealing material from a companion star. Until recently, astronomers could only infer the early stages of these eruptions indirectly, because the expanding material appeared as a single, unresolved point of light.
Artistic impression of Nova V1674 Herculis. Credit: The CHARA Array
Scientists at Georgia State's CHARA Array captured images of Nova V1674 Herculis—one of the fastest stellar explosions on record. Images of Nova V1674 Herculis obtained 2.2 days (left) and 3.2 days (middle) after the explosion. The images reveal the formation of two distinct, perpendicular outflows of gas, as highlighted by the green arrows. The panel on the right shows an artistic impression of the explosion. Credit: The CHARA Array
The CHARA Array is located at the Mount Wilson Observatory in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The six telescopes of the CHARA Array are arranged along three arms. The light from each telescope is transported through vacuum pipes to the central beam combining lab. Credit: Georgia State University/The CHARA Array
The circles mark the domes of the six CHARA Array telescopes at the historic Mount Wilson Observatory. Credit: Georgia State University/The CHARA Array