Latest news with #V462Lupi
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- 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
14 hours ago
- 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.
India Today
17 hours ago
- Science
- India Today
You can see a massive star explosion with naked eyes in the sky
A dramatic astronomical event unfolded in the southern constellation Lupus on June 12, 2025, when a star known as V462 Lup exploded in a classical nova, increasing its brightness more than four million times in just outburst, now at magnitude +5.7, has pushed the nova just above the threshold for naked-eye visibility, offering a rare spectacle for skywatchers across the Southern nova was captured in stunning detail by Dawid Mozdzierski from the Atacama Desert in Chile, while South Korean astronomer Bum-Suk Yeom published a finder chart to help enthusiasts locate the transient star in the night sky. Photo: Bum-Suk Yeom Classical novas like V462 Lup occur in binary star systems, where a dense white dwarf siphons gas from a bloated companion enough material accumulates, it triggers a sudden thermonuclear explosion, causing the system to brighten naked-eye novas are uncommon, typically appearing only about once a year, and most hover so close to the limit of human vision that they often go unnoticed. V462 Lup's rapid rise to magnitude +5.7 places it just within reach for unaided observers under dark skies, though its future remains uncertain. 'Will V462 Lup continue to brighten and clear this low bar? Or fade before most people can see it?' asked one astronomer, highlighting the fleeting nature of these cosmic events. A newly-discovered nova in Lupus, V462 Lupi, which is going to be a naked-eye nova. (Photo: Dawid Mozdzierski) advertisementThe explosion of V462 Lup is a reminder of the dynamic and ever-changing documented by Chinese astronomers two millennia ago, novas continue to fascinate scientists and stargazers now, those in the Southern Hemisphere have a rare opportunity to witness a stellar explosion with their own eyes—if they catch it before it fades back into Reel
