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nova

nova

7 8.6
A star that suddenly becomes much brighter for a short time by throwing out gas
  • noun
  • /ˈnoʊvə/
  • Specialized
: nova
  • A nova is a star that suddenly brightens and becomes visible in the night sky.
  • nova explosion

This is what is visibly a Nova seen in the night sky.

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Examples

  • The ring is actually the edge of a bubble of hot gas blasted into space by the nova.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Immediately after the nova explosion, an envelope of gas ejected from the white dwarf surrounded the two stars.

    Academic text (1994)
  • A nova is when a star becomes unstable.

  • But you cannot conclude that 'the sun has gone nova' from this result.

    Blog text (10)
  • "Her heat signature went nova," Danny said.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • First, many cataclysmic variables undergo nova explosions, outbursts in their surface layers in which all of the accreted material is blown off.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Astronomers observed the remarkable explosion of a nova that lit up the dark cosmos.

  • When studying the nova, scientists noted the material expelled in a cloud around the star.

Compounds

2 4.0

A smooth Brazilian music style that mixes samba and jazz

1 5.1

Salmon cured with a small amount of salt and sometimes sugar for a mild taste

1 6.7

Thin slices of salmon people keep in salt and sugar that taste less salty and are often eaten on bagels

A mild salmon kept in salt water and often a little sweet

1 7.2

A salt-cured salmon that has less salt than usual and sometimes tastes a little sweet

A type of salmon lightly cured in salt water, usually less salty and sometimes made with sugar

How Bright

supernova
  • Specialized
34 7.5
nova
  • Specialized
7 8.6

Surface Forms

nova singular
novas plural

Etymology

Nova comes from the Latin word novus, which means 'new', and it shares the same root as English words like novel and novice. A nova is called that because it looks like a 'new' star when it suddenly becomes very bright in the sky.