Latest news with #V462Lupi
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This bright nova is making a rare appearance. How to glimpse it in Michigan
If you thought you saw a new star in Michigan's night sky recently, you may have glimpsed V462 Lupi, a rare nova in the Lupus constellation. The stellar explosion from one of Lupus' dim stars took on a very bright appearance, first spotted by astronomers in mid-June, according to Though viewing was strongest in the southern hemisphere, the Lake Superior area in northern Michigan observed the rare celestial object, per Sky & Telescope. Here's what to know. A nova is a stellar explosion in a binary system of two stars orbiting each other, per NASA. This classical nova formed from a dim star in the Lupus constellation, according to Astronomers at Ohio State University first observed the bright object on June 12, per Live Science. An astronomer at the University of Cape Town in South Africa then identified it as a classical nova on June 16. This constellation, Latin for wolf, can be found in the southern hemisphere in the night sky, according to Constellation Guide. Lupus is between Centaurus and Scorpius. Nova V462 Lupi has been observed around Lake Superior, per Sky & Telescope. Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How a nova made this star appear bright
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A star exploded in the Lupus constellation. Here's how to see the nova in the night sky this month
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An ordinarily dim star is making a brilliant appearance in the night sky after unleashing a powerful nova explosion, which has rendered it visible to the naked eye. The nova V462 Lupi was first discovered on June 12 by the Ohio State University-led All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN), as reported by Sky & Telescope. The star that spawned the nova is usually too dim to see with the naked eye, boasting an apparent brightness — or magnitude — of +22.3. However, the explosion of radiation thrown out by the nova caused it to brighten dramatically, making it appear as if a new star is shining in the night sky! Remember, the lower an object's magnitude, the brighter it is in the night sky. For reference, the human eye is capable of seeing stars with a magnitude of +6.5 or greater under dark sky conditions. A subsequent analysis of the star's light fingerprint by astronomer Yusuke Tampo of the University of Cape Town, South Africa led to the event being classified as a classical nova. This form of stellar explosion occurs when the gravitational influence of a white dwarf star orbiting in a binary system strips mass from its nearby companion. This process continues until the mass accumulated on the surface of the white dwarf is heated to the point that a cataclysmic fusion reaction becomes inevitable. The resulting explosion releases a colossal outpouring of radiation, which can be visible from Earth. Soon after its discovery on July 14, observers associated with the American Association for Variable Stars (AAVSO) reported that V462 Lupi was visible through a pair of 15x70 binoculars with a magnitude of around +7.9. The nova was observed to steadily brighten in the days following its discovery, eventually becoming visible to the naked eye around the middle of June. It subsequently crescendoed, with some reports placing its brightness at over +5.5. Sadly, the AAVSO light curve of V462 Lupi based on member observations appears to show that the nova is now on the decline. V462 Lupi will soon vanish from the night sky, but before it does, the dark skies around the new moon present a perfect time to head away from city lights to hunt down the ancient nova light. We would advise taking a pair of 10x50 binoculars, which will make it easier to spot the subsiding light of the nova while providing a wide field of view with which to observe the multitude of surrounding stars. The nova can be found in the patch of sky close to the bright stars Delta Lupi and Kappa Centauri in the constellation of Lupus, the wolf. Its exact location is best found with the aid of a star chart, which, as noted by Sky & Telescope, can be generated on the AAVSO website by typing 'V462 Lup' into the 'Pick a star' box and clicking 'Create a finder chart'. V462 Lupi will be easiest to spot for skywatchers in the southern hemisphere, where the nova will be highest in the post-sunset sky. However, the patch of sky containing the nova will also be visible close to the southern horizon for U.S. stargazers living in states closest to the equator, such as Texas, Florida, and Louisiana.
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
A ‘New Star' Suddenly Got 3 Million Times Brighter — How To See It
A new star has appeared in the night sky and is rapidly brightening, according to amateur astronomers. Called V462 Lupi, it's currently 3.3 million times brighter than usual and visible to the naked eye, though only from more southerly regions of North America. The Lupus constellation, home to V462 Lupi, a nova that is rapidly brightening. getty The star has increased in brightness by almost 16 times in the 20 days since it was discovered. When it was first seen, V462 Lupi was +8.7 magnitude — too dim to be seen with the naked eye — but has since rapidly brightened to +5.7 magnitude, which is on the cusp of naked eye visibility. It's usually a +22.3 magnitude star, 3.3 million times dimmer than it's right now. Since this is its first recorded eruption, it's unknown how long V462 Lupi will be visible to the naked eye. It could take just a few days to return to its regular dim levels, or it could take months. V462 Lupi is in the constellation Lupus, the wolf, which is between the constellations Scorpius and Centaurus, but it's not known how far away it is from the solar system. The star is known as a nova, a Latin term meaning 'new star.' It's thought to be a classical nova, an outburst in a binary system where a white dwarf (the dense leftover core of a dying sun-like star) and an expanding red giant star orbit each other. According to NASA, the white dwarf's gravity pulls hot hydrogen from its companion, which builds up and triggers a thermonuclear blast. Unlike supernovas, which obliterate stars, novas are recurring events that only affect the outer layer of a white dwarf. These outbursts can make the system millions of times brighter. How To See V462 Lupi According to Sky and Telescope (which has a useful selection of sky charts), those observing from a latitude around 40 degrees north (California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey) will find V462 Lupi around 10 degrees above the southern horizon at around 10:30 p.m. local time. From the Florida Keys, at around 25 degrees north, V462 Lupi will be 25 degrees above the southern horizon. The higher it is in the sky, the easier it will be to see, though binoculars will make it easier. A finder chart for telescope users is available on the website of the American Association of Variable Star Observers. It's near the bright stars Delta and Beta Lupi. V462 Lupi has appeared as astronomers await the explosion of a recurrent nova — a "repeating new star" that explodes every 80 years. Called T Coronae Borealis (also known as T CrB and the "Blaze Star"), it's classified as a 'cataclysmic variable star' and was observed to brighten to naked-eye visibility in both 1866 and then 80 years later in 1946. A 10-year drop in T CrB's light was reported in a paper in 2023 — thought to be a precursor to a rapid brightening — but it's yet to do so despite predictions it would go nova in March. T CrB is approximately 3,000 light-years away from the solar system — significantly farther than most stars visible in the night sky — which means it exploded 3,000 years ago. Further reading Forbes A Star May Explode Next Week In Once-In-80-Years Event — What To Know By Jamie Carter Forbes NASA Urges Public To Look At Night Sky Now For 'Nova' Location By Jamie Carter Forbes NASA Spacecraft 'Touches Sun' For Final Time In Defining Moment For Humankind By Jamie Carter Forbes Get Ready For The Shortest Day Since Records Began As Earth Spins Faster By Jamie Carter
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A 'new star' has exploded into the night sky — and you can see it from North America
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A "new star" is shining in the constellation Lupus thanks to an unexpected stellar explosion within the Milky Way — and it can currently be seen with the naked eye from parts of North America. On June 12, astronomers from the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae at Ohio State University first spotted the new point of light, which had an apparent magnitude of +8.7 at the time, still too dim to be seen by the naked eye, Sky & Telescope originally reported. (A smaller magnitude signifies a brighter object; for example, the moon has an apparent magnitude of -12.7). Over the next few days, the rapidly brightening object took on several temporary names — including AT 2025nlr, ASASSN-25cm, and N Lup 2025 — as researchers scrambled to determine its identity. Astronomer Yusuke Tampo, from the South African Astronomical Observatory at the University of Cape Town, then analyzed the light coming from the object and determined that it is likely a classical nova — a massive stellar explosion that temporarily shines bright in the night sky. On June 16, it was given the official designation V462 Lupi. By June 18, V462 Lupi had brightened to an apparent magnitude of +5.7, which makes it just visible to the naked eye. This also makes it around 4 million times brighter than its extremely dim progenitor star was before June 12, according to Related: Nearly 900 years ago, astronomers spotted a strange, bright light in the sky. We finally know what caused it. There is a chance that the nova will continue to brighten in the coming days, making it even easier to spot. The Lupus constellation is located in the southern sky, meaning that V462 Lupi is most easily visible from the Southern Hemisphere. However, it can also be seen from North America, close to the southern horizon, just after sunset. Amateur astronomers from the U.S. have reported seeing it in places such as Arizona and California, and as far north as Lake Superior, according to Sky & Telescope. You may be able to spot it without any additional equipment. However, it would be easier to spot if you had a decent telescope or a pair of stargazing binoculars, especially if you are viewing it from the U.S. or if the explosion starts to dim over the coming days. Unlike supernovas, which are so powerful that they completely rip stars apart, a nova only affects the outer layer of a star. Classical novas, such as V462 Lupi, occur in a specific type of binary system, where a more massive white dwarf star is pulling material away from its larger partner. When enough material has been accreted onto the dwarf star's surface, the pressure builds up and triggers an explosion that burns up most of the stolen gas and shoots pulses of bright light toward Earth. Naked-eye classical novas are rare. They appear "no more than once a year," representatives wrote, "and most are so close to the limit of naked-eye sensitivity that they can be invisible despite being technically [visible]." RELATED STORIES —Supernova that lit up Earth's skies 843 years ago has a flowering 'zombie star' at its heart — and it's still exploding —Mystery explosion 1,000 years ago may be a rare, third type of supernova —Rare quadruple supernova on our 'cosmic doorstep' will shine brighter than the moon when it blows up in 23 billion years Some novas are also recurring events, blowing their top at regular intervals: For example, the long-awaited T Coronae Borealis nova, also known as the "Blaze Star," lights up our skies roughly every 80 years. However, astronomers have been predicting that the Blaze Star will reappear imminently for the last 15 months, and it is yet to emerge, which shows that it is not an exact science. As this is the first recorded appearance of V462 Lupi, we have no idea if or when it will explode again in the future.
News18
19-06-2025
- Science
- News18
Stellar Boom! Exploding Dying Star Seen From Earth With Naked Eye
Last Updated: V462 Lupi, a star in a distant binary system, has exploded in a rare cosmic event that may be briefly visible to the unaided eye. Stargazers across the southern hemisphere are being treated to a rare celestial event this week, after astronomers confirmed a sudden nova explosion in the southern constellation Lupus. The star, named V462 Lupi, dramatically brightened on June 12, increasing its luminosity more than four million times to reach magnitude +5.7, making it just visible to the naked eye under dark skies. The outburst was first confirmed by astronomers in Chile and South Korea, with Dawid Mozdzierski capturing the moment from the Atacama Desert and Bum-Suk Yeom publishing a finder chart to help observers locate the star. Classified as a classical nova, V462 Lupi is part of a binary system in which a white dwarf siphons gas from a companion star. As material accumulates, it eventually triggers a thermonuclear explosion, lighting up the system dramatically. Nova Lupi 2025 (= V462 Lupi) imaged at about 03:45 UTC on the 19th. Discovered a few days ago, it's probably around maximum light now. I estimated its visual magnitude at around +5.4. Low in the sky from this latitude, but not hard to find with binoculars. — Dr. John Barentine FRAS (@JohnBarentine) June 19, 2025 A report by broadcaster India Today pointed out that these events are not unprecedented, but they are 'rare". They occur usually only about once a year and are often too faint or short-lived to be noticed without telescopes. The nova's current brightness places it just within the threshold for unaided viewing, but astronomers say it could dim just as fast. When pressure and temperature reach critical levels, a thermonuclear reaction ignites, causing a sudden, dramatic brightening and often thousands to millions of times. This outburst is called a nova (Latin for 'new"). This makes the star temporarily visible even to the naked eye. Unlike supernovae, novas don't destroy the star, and the cycle can repeat over time. Classical novas occur about once-a-year galaxy wide. According to NASA, despite the name, a nova isn't a new star being born. Ancient astronomers thought they were seeing a brand-new star suddenly appear in the sky. In reality, it's an old star flaring up.
