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Nova Aquilae:
Chandra Discovers Eruption and Pulsation in Nova Outburst
Chandra observed Nova Aquilae, an
outburst caused by a thermonuclear explosion on the
surface of a white dwarf star, four times from April
2000 through October 2000. In the October data
astronomers detected a dramatic flare of X-rays and
cyclical 40-minute pulsations - the first time either
of these phenomena had been seen in X-rays. The
pulsations are thought to come from the contraction and
expansion of the outer layers of the white dwarf, but
the cause of the 15 minute X-ray flare remains a
mystery.
The artist's illustration depicts a classical nova
binary system just before an explosion on the surface
of the white dwarf. Classical novas occur in a system
where a white dwarf closely orbits a normal, companion
star. In this illustration, gas is flowing from the
large red,companion star into a disk and then onto the
white dwarf that is hidden inside the white area. As
the gas flows ever closer to the white dwarf, it gets
increasingly hotter, as indicated by the change in
colors from yellow to white. When the explosion occurs,
it engulfs the disk of gas and the red companion
star.
| Fast Facts for Nova Aquilae: |
| Credit |
CXC/M.Weiss |
| Category |
White Dwarfs & Planetary Nebulas |
| Coordinates (J2000) |
RA 19h 23m 5.28s | Dec +04° 57' 21.6 |
| Constellation |
Aquila |
| Observation Dates |
Observed 4 times from April - October 2000
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| Observation Time |
10 hours |
| Obs. IDs |
89, 72, 959, 1709
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| Instrument |
ACIS |
| Release Date |
September 06, 2001 |
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