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White Dwarf Star V Sagittae Poised for Daylight Supernova

9/19/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Astronomers have identified V Sagittae, a white dwarf star consuming its companion, resulting in a massive gas halo and unusual brightness.
The system orbits every 12.3 hours, bringing the stars closer and increasing the risk of a supernova explosion.
This explosion could be visible from Earth, even during daylight, from 10,000 light-years away.
Led by Dr. Pasi Hakala, the study resolves a century-old mystery about this star system.
Researchers utilized the Very Large Telescope at the European Southern Observatory for their findings, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

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Story summary

Astronomers have identified V Sagittae, a white dwarf star consuming its companion, resulting in a massive gas halo and unusual brightness.
The system orbits every 12.3 hours, bringing the stars closer and increasing the risk of a supernova explosion.
This explosion could be visible from Earth, even during daylight, from 10,000 light-years away.
Led by Dr. Pasi Hakala, the study resolves a century-old mystery about this star system.
Researchers utilized the Very Large Telescope at the European Southern Observatory for their findings, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.