The Wire

Australian astronomers have been party to a once in a lifetime phenomenon, witnessing a rapid thermonuclear explosion from a nova star, located in the distant constellation, Delphinus (“The Dolphin”). As part of an international team, stationed in CHARA (The Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy) Array in California, the researchers observed the event using the world’s highest angular resolution telescope.

Describing the event, Professor Peter Tuthill, member of the University of Sydney’s Astrophysics division, said that; “The white dwarf star is like a mosquito that buzzes around the companion star, slowly sucking hydrogen from its companion through a little gravitational  straw… the pressure reaches a critical point and then Boom!”