Why in news
Astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) discovered far ultraviolet (FUV) emissions from novae in the Andromeda galaxy for the first time, using data from India’s space observatory, AstroSat.
Astrosat
It is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical, and UV spectral bands simultaneously.
It was launched by the Indian launch vehicle PSLV from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in 2015.
The spacecraft control center at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) of ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru, manages the satellite during its entire mission life.
The minimum useful life of the AstroSat mission is around 5 years.
It carries a total of five scientific payloads enabling imaging and studying the temporal and spectral properties of galactic and extra- galactic cosmic sources in a wide range of wavelengths on a common platform.
Objectives:
To understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes.
Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars.
Study star birth regions and high energy processes in star systems lying beyond our galaxy.
Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in the sky.
Perform a limited deep-field survey of the Universe in the Ultraviolet region.
What is novae
It is a special class of transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently new star that slowly fades over weeks or months, during their outburst.
Novae occur in binary star systems where a dense, Earth-sized white dwarf star orbits closely with a Sun-like companion.
The white dwarf's strong gravitational pull draws matter from its companion, creating an intense accumulation of material on its surface.
This process triggers powerful thermonuclear reactions, producing a sudden bright burst visible as a nova.
A nova reaches maximum luminosity within hours after its outburst and may shine intensely for several days
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