nova

¹ American  

[noh-vuh] / ˈnoʊ və /

noun

Astronomy.

plural

novas, novae

1. a star that suddenly becomes thousands of times brighter and then gradually fades to its original intensity.

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Nova ² American  

[noh-vuh] / ˈnoʊ və /

noun

1. Also called Nova Salmon.  a Pacific salmon cured in the style of Nova Scotia salmon.

2. nova, (loosely) any smoked salmon.

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nova British  

/ ˈnəʊvə /

noun

1. a variable star that undergoes a cataclysmic eruption, observed as a sudden large increase in brightness with a subsequent decline over months or years; it is a close binary system with one component a white dwarf Compare supernova

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nova Scientific  

/ nō′və /

plural

novae

1. A white dwarf star that suddenly and temporarily becomes extremely bright as a result of the explosion at its surface of material accreted from an expanding companion star. The material, mostly hydrogen and helium, is attracted by the white dwarf's gravity and accumulates under growing pressure and heat until nuclear fusion is ignited. Unlike a supernova, a nova is not blown apart by the explosion and gradually returns to its original brightness over a period of weeks to years. Because of their sudden appearance where no star had been previously visible, novae were long thought to be new stars. Since 1925, novae have been classified as variable stars.

2. Compare supernova

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nova Cultural  

1. In astronomy, the appearance of a new star in the sky (nova is Latin for “new”). Novae are usually associated with the last stages in the life of a star. (See supernova.)

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Usage

What is a nova? A nova is a star that temporarily becomes extremely bright and then returns to its original brightness. The plural of nova is novas or novae.A star is an object in outer space that is basically a big bright ball of gas. The Sun is the only star in our solar system.The Sun is a medium-sized star in the middle of its life. When a star the size of our Sun or smaller nears the end of its life, it becomes a white dwarf. A white dwarf is small (for a star) and, because of its size, not very bright. However, a white dwarf is very dense, so it has a strong gravitational pull.In a binary solar system, there are two stars. Sometimes, a white dwarf star in a binary system will pull hydrogen gas from a bigger, neighboring star. Eventually, it may pull so much hydrogen together that it causes an explosion. This explosion causes the white dwarf to become incredibly bright and become what is called a nova.A nova is temporary. Typically, a white dwarf only stays really bright for several days before returning to its original state. The white dwarf may again start pulling hydrogen from its neighbor and eventually again turn into a nova. Each cycle could take anywhere from a thousand to hundreds of thousands of years.

Other Word Forms

• novalike adjective

Etymology

Origin of nova

First recorded in 1680–90; from New Latin: noun use of feminine of Latin novus “new”; new

Example Sentences

Astronomers have obtained remarkably detailed images of two stellar explosions -- called novae -- just days after they began.

From Science Daily

My last album was the thing that put me on the map, and the song that went viral was the most pure bossa nova song that I’d released.

From Los Angeles Times

Pair the bagels with hand sliced nova salmon, cream cheese, and a slice of tomato for a true feast.

From Salon

"They are so dense that when they accrete material on their surface they can undergo runaway nuclear reactions, which we detect as novae."

From Science Daily

But critics have lavished praise on the record, calling it a "jaw-dropping" and "brutal" act of "personal exorcism", while praising Allen's gift for melody, on songs that span flamenco, bossa nova, and "infectious pop".

From BBC

Related Words

• star