The recent eruption of the new RS Fuchi, located in the constellation Serpentarium, about 4,566 light-years from Earth, is so intense that it’s possible to see it with the naked eye from our planet, according to the Science Alerts portal.
RS Phiuchi is a binary system composed of a white dwarf star and a red giant star. As they spin around each other, the white dwarf accumulates gaseous material that flows out of its companion, which is mostly hydrogen.
RS Ophiuchi OUTBURST
Retrieved on August 9, 2021 by Ernesto Guido, Marco Rocchetto and Adriano Valvassori remotely from Australia via the @Telescope Live networkhttps://t.co/ttjH74mm0lThe recurrent Nova RS Oph is in the outburst. The last major eruption of RS Oph was in February 2006? pic.twitter.com/FMqDZEQ0Xx
— mizuho kai (@mizuho73700856) August 9, 2021
?RS Fuichi explosion. Captured by Ernesto Guido, Marco Rocchetto and Adriano Valvasori on August 9, 2021. Remotely from Australia via the LIVE Telescope Network. RS Oph is in recurrent eruption. The last major RS Oph eruption occurred in February 2006.
This material remains on the surface of the white dwarf until it reaches such levels of pressure and temperature as to cause a thermonuclear explosion.
RS Fuchi experiences such eruptions repeatedly every 15–20 years, a rare occurrence in our galaxy.
The last time the RS Fuchi exploded was in February 2006.
RS Ophiuchi OUTBURST
Retrieved by Ernesto Guido, Marco Rocchetto and Adriano Valvassori on August 9, 2021 remotely from Australia via the @Telescope Live networkhttps://t.co/ttjH74mm0lThe recurrent Nova RS Oph is in the outburst. The last major eruption of RS Oph was in February 2006 → pic.twitter.com/FMqDZEQ0Xx
— mizuho kai (@mizuho73700856) August 9, 2021
[Explosão de brilho da nova RS Oph, visível a olho nu com magnitude +4. Mapas de pesquisa. Informação: J.P. Navarro Pina.]
On each occasion, the explosion causes matter to be violently expelled into space, reaching speeds of up to 2,600 kilometers per second.
After this moment of maximum brightness, the RS fuchsia gradually fades over the course of several weeks, until it becomes completely invisible. (with Sputnik Brazil Agency)
