Astronomers Record Ultra-Hot Nova Eruption With Unusual Silicon Signature
The recurrent nova LMC68 in the Large Magellanic Cloud exhibited record-breaking temperatures and a dominant ionized silicon emission, challenging existing models of stellar explosions.
- The recurrent nova LMC68, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, erupted in August 2024, marking its latest explosion in a four-year cycle.
- For the first time, astronomers captured near-infrared spectroscopy of an extragalactic recurrent nova, providing unprecedented insights into its eruption dynamics.
- The eruption produced a dominant ionized silicon signal, shining 95 times brighter than the Sun across all wavelengths, a highly unusual chemical signature for novae.
- The expelled gas reached temperatures of 5.4 million °F, making this one of the hottest novae ever recorded and suggesting extreme environmental conditions influenced the explosion.
- Researchers attribute the violent eruption to the low-metallicity environment of the Large Magellanic Cloud, which allows greater fuel accumulation on the white dwarf before ignition.
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