• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
This image shows SN2014J, one of the closest Type Ia supernovas observed in recent decades. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Goobar (Stockholm University), and the Hubble Heritage Team)

100 Times Brighter Than the Sun? Meet the Incredible Millinovas!

December 25, 2024
March Solar X-flare from IRIS and SDO

The Next Solar Superstorm Could Be Days Away—Are We Ready to Respond?

May 22, 2025
Artist's conception of a "Hot Jupiter", like Puli. Credit - ESO/L. Calçada.

The Planet That Hides in Time: How Astronomers Caught a Cosmic Phantom

May 21, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
An illustration of Jupiter with magnetic field lines emitting from its poles. Credit: Credit: K. Batygin

Scientists Just Found Evidence of a Supercharged Jupiter You’ve Never Met

May 20, 2025
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a cloudscape in the Large Magellanic Cloud., a dwarf satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Murray

NASA Just Photographed a Galaxy That Looks Like Cotton Candy—and It’s Real

May 19, 2025
DESI has made the largest 3D map of our universe to date. Earth is at the center of this thin slice of the full map. Credit: Claire Lamman/DESI collaboration

Is the Universe Expanding Weirdly Because Dark Matter Is Evolving?

May 19, 2025
ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti took this picture of aurora borealis from the ISS on Dec. 9, 2014

Auroras on Mars? Yes, and Astronauts Might See Them Too

May 18, 2025
This illustration depicts a conceptual Lunar Crater Radio Telescope on the Moon’s far side. The early-stage concept is being studied under grant funding from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program but is not a NASA mission. Credit: Vladimir Vustyansky

Dark Ages Explorer: How Europe Plans to Illuminate the Universe’s Oldest Secrets

May 17, 2025
Artist impression of the water snowline around the young star V883 Orionis, as detected with ALMA. Credit: A. Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF)

Webb Telescope Discovers Frozen Water in Alien Solar System

May 15, 2025
Gamma-ray burst [GRB]. Credit: Cruz Dewilde/ NASA SWIFT.

This Gamma-Ray Burst Lasted 51 Seconds—and Broke Every Rule

May 14, 2025
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Born Together, Worlds Apart? Astronomers Explore Planet Twins in Binary Stars

May 14, 2025
Artist’s conception of the extrasolar ring system circling the young giant planet or brown dwarf J1407b. The rings are shown eclipsing the young Sun-like star J1407, as they would have appeared in early 2007. Credit: Ron Miller

Thousands of Exoplanets Found—Are Rings the Next Big Discovery?

May 13, 2025
This Hubble image shows Omega Centauri, the Milky Way's largest globular clusters. Globular clusters contain some of the oldest stars in the Universe, and new research determines their absolute age. Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Häberle (MPIA)

Astronomers Just Unlocked the Birth Dates of the Milky Way’s Oldest Stars

May 12, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
NASA Space News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Privacy Policy
  • ABOUT US
  • DISCLAIMER
  • Contact Us
NASA Space News
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Home Astronomy

100 Times Brighter Than the Sun? Meet the Incredible Millinovas!

by nasaspacenews
December 25, 2024
in Astronomy, Astrophysics, News, Others
0
This image shows SN2014J, one of the closest Type Ia supernovas observed in recent decades. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Goobar (Stockholm University), and the Hubble Heritage Team)

This image shows SN2014J, one of the closest Type Ia supernovas observed in recent decades. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Goobar (Stockholm University), and the Hubble Heritage Team)

ADVERTISEMENT
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

In the vast expanse of the universe, where stars are born and die in cataclysmic events, a new kind of explosion has captured the imagination of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. Dubbed “millinovas,” this recently discovered class of cosmic phenomena lies somewhere between novae and supernovae.

What Are Millinovas?

Millinovas represent a newly identified type of cosmic explosion that bridges the gap between novae and supernovae. Unlike novae, which are relatively faint, or supernovae, which are cataclysmically bright, millinovas shine with a brilliance roughly a thousand times dimmer than supernovae but are still 100 times brighter than the Sun. What sets them apart are their triangle-shaped, symmetrical light curves and the intense X-ray emissions they produce.

This new class of explosions occurs in binary star systems where a white dwarf—a dense stellar remnant—feeds on the material of a swollen companion star. As the white dwarf accumulates this stellar material, conditions are set for these peculiar and less-destructive explosions. Unlike their supernova cousins, millinovas do not obliterate the white dwarf, leaving it intact for further cosmic intrigue.

The Accidental Discovery

The journey to uncover millinovas was as serendipitous as the phenomena themselves. Astronomers from the University of Warsaw, led by Przemek Mróz, were combing through 20 years of data from the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE). Their original goal? To identify primordial black holes in the Milky Way’s dark matter halo. But the universe had other plans.

Amid the data, the team stumbled upon 28 unusual stellar explosions in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. These events were characterized by unique, triangle-shaped light curves that defied the patterns of any known variable stars.

One of these millinovas, designated OGLE-mNOVA-11, erupted in late 2023, allowing scientists to observe it in unprecedented detail. This accidental discovery has since redefined our understanding of stellar explosions.

The Science Behind Millinovas

At the heart of millinovas lies the interaction between white dwarfs and their companion stars. White dwarfs are stellar remnants formed when medium-sized stars, like our Sun, exhaust their nuclear fuel. While solitary white dwarfs remain dormant, those in binary systems can become dynamic and unpredictable. When a companion star expands into a red giant, it fills its Roche lobe, an imaginary figure-eight boundary. This allows material from the companion to flow onto the white dwarf’s surface.

The Explosion Mechanism

The accumulation of stellar material triggers millinovas. While the exact mechanism behind their intense X-ray emissions remains a subject of investigation, two leading theories have emerged:

  1. Gas Compression and Heating: The gas transferred from the companion star forms a belt around the white dwarf’s equator. This compression heats the gas to extreme temperatures, resulting in the observed X-ray bursts.
  2. Weak Thermonuclear Reactions: The accreted material on the white dwarf’s surface may ignite weak thermonuclear reactions, producing X-rays without ejecting significant mass. This distinguishes millinovas from the more violent Type Ia supernovae.

The result? Explosions so hot they reach temperatures over 1 million degrees Fahrenheit—three times hotter than the universe’s hottest known stars.

Why Millinovas Matter

Millinovas provide a rare glimpse into the lifecycle of stars, particularly the evolution of white dwarfs and their binary partners. Understanding these explosions could reveal how mass transfer dynamics in binary systems influence stellar behavior.

Progenitors of Type Ia Supernovae

One of the most exciting implications of millinovas is their potential role as precursors to Type Ia supernovae. These supernovae serve as “standard candles” for measuring cosmic distances due to their uniform brightness. If millinovas can predict where and when a Type Ia supernova might occur, they could revolutionize our ability to map the universe.

A New Lens for Cosmic Discovery

Millinovas also challenge existing models of stellar explosions, encouraging scientists to rethink how stars interact and evolve. By studying these events, astronomers can refine their theories about binary systems, X-ray emissions, and the ultimate fate of white dwarfs.

ADVERTISEMENT

Future Research and Observations

With 28 millinovas identified so far, the race is on to study these cosmic anomalies in greater detail. Researchers plan to monitor these objects in real-time, waiting for their next outbursts. Advanced telescopes like NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and the Southern African Large Telescope are expected to play pivotal roles in follow-up studies.

One of the long-term goals is to uncover the exact conditions that lead to millinovas. Are they exclusive to certain types of binary systems, or could they occur under different circumstances? Scientists also aim to determine whether millinovas consistently evolve into Type Ia supernovae, shedding light on their role in the cosmic ecosystem.

Conclusion

The discovery of millinovas is a testament to the unpredictability of science and the boundless surprises of the universe. These intermediate cosmic explosions not only fill a gap in our understanding of stellar phenomena but also open new avenues for research in astrophysics.

Reference:

Millinovae: A New Class of Transient Supersoft X-Ray Sources without a Classical Nova Eruption

Tags: astronomical discoveryAstronomical Researchastronomy newsastrophysicsbinary star systemsbright star explosionscosmic explosionscosmic mysteriesLarge Magellanic CloudmillinovasNASA discoveriesnova explosionsSmall Magellanic Cloudspace explorationstellar phenomenasubgiant starsthermonuclear reactionsvariable starswhite dwarf starsX-ray outbursts

FEATURED POST

March Solar X-flare from IRIS and SDO

The Next Solar Superstorm Could Be Days Away—Are We Ready to Respond?

May 22, 2025
Artist's conception of a "Hot Jupiter", like Puli. Credit - ESO/L. Calçada.

The Planet That Hides in Time: How Astronomers Caught a Cosmic Phantom

May 21, 2025
An illustration of Jupiter with magnetic field lines emitting from its poles. Credit: Credit: K. Batygin

Scientists Just Found Evidence of a Supercharged Jupiter You’ve Never Met

May 20, 2025
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a cloudscape in the Large Magellanic Cloud., a dwarf satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Murray

NASA Just Photographed a Galaxy That Looks Like Cotton Candy—and It’s Real

May 19, 2025

EDITOR PICK'S

The Next Solar Superstorm Could Be Days Away—Are We Ready to Respond?

May 22, 2025

The Planet That Hides in Time: How Astronomers Caught a Cosmic Phantom

May 21, 2025

Scientists Just Found Evidence of a Supercharged Jupiter You’ve Never Met

May 20, 2025

NASA Just Photographed a Galaxy That Looks Like Cotton Candy—and It’s Real

May 19, 2025

Is the Universe Expanding Weirdly Because Dark Matter Is Evolving?

May 19, 2025

Auroras on Mars? Yes, and Astronauts Might See Them Too

May 18, 2025

Dark Ages Explorer: How Europe Plans to Illuminate the Universe’s Oldest Secrets

May 17, 2025

STAY CONNECTED

Recent News

March Solar X-flare from IRIS and SDO

The Next Solar Superstorm Could Be Days Away—Are We Ready to Respond?

May 22, 2025
Artist's conception of a "Hot Jupiter", like Puli. Credit - ESO/L. Calçada.

The Planet That Hides in Time: How Astronomers Caught a Cosmic Phantom

May 21, 2025

Category

  • Asteroid
  • Astrobiology
  • Astrology
  • Astronomy
  • Astrophotography
  • Astrophysics
  • Auroras
  • Black holes
  • Comets
  • Cosmology
  • Dark energy
  • Dark Matter
  • Earth
  • Euclid
  • Exoplanets
  • Galaxies
  • Jupiter
  • JWST
  • Mars
  • Mercury
  • Meteor showers
  • Moon
  • Neptune
  • News
  • Others
  • Planets
  • QuantumPhysics
  • quasars
  • Rocks
  • Saturn
  • solar storm
  • Solar System
  • stars
  • sun
  • Universe
  • Uranus
  • Venus
  • Voyager

We bring you the latest news and updates in space exploration, innovation, and astronomy.

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • DISCLAIMER
  • PRIVACY POLICY

© 2025 NASA Space News

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Privacy Policy
  • ABOUT US
  • DISCLAIMER
  • Contact Us

© 2025 NASA Space News

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
Sign In with Google
Sign In with Linked In
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist