Chandra Discovers Eruption and Pulsation in Nova Outburst

Chandra_171_1024

chandra_171 September 6th, 2001

Credit: (Illustration) NASA/CXC/M.Weiss

Four times over an 8 month period Chandra observed a white dwarf star undergoing a nova outburst. As the expanding hot gas cloud cleared, an underlying pulsation of X-ray brightness, and an enormous X-ray flare that originated from the white dwarf's surface layers were discovered. The pulsations are thought to be due to the white dwarf expanding and shrinking over a 40 minute period. The cause of the X-ray flare is a mystery. This artist's illustration depicts gas flowing from a large red companion star into a disk around a white dwarf star. A nova outburst occurs when a critical mass of hydrogen gas piles up on the surface of the white dwarf.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2001/v1494aql/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

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Image Details

Image Type
Artwork
Object Name
Nova Aquilae

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 19h 23m 5.0s
DEC = 4° 57’ 22.0”
Constellation
Aquila
Chandra_171_1280
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ID
171
Subject Category
Subject Name
Nova Aquilae
Credits
(Illustration) NASA/CXC/M.Weiss
Release Date
2001-09-06
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2001/v1494aql/
Type
Artwork
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Instrument
Color Assignment
Band
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
290.7708, 4.9561
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-Ray Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
aquilae_illustration_bl.tif
Metadata Date
2013-09-05T15:26:14-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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