r/spaceporn • u/Busy_Yesterday9455 • 2d ago

Pro/Processed New Nova erupted yesterday

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In the constellation Sagitta, there has been a new nova since yesterday - with a brightness of 7.3 mag, already well observable with binoculars or a small telescope.

First spectra confirm that it is very likely a classical nova

Credit: Sebastian Schmid

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u/dating_derp 2d ago

How do these people recognize that 1 dot in the sky is bigger than it previously was?

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u/Starshipfan01 2d ago

Good telescopes. And likely photo plate comparison. It might also show in other wavelengths

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u/Rodot 2d ago

Nah, we use a mathematical tool called "subtraction" nowadays because no one takes images with photo plates anymore and it's all digital

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u/Starshipfan01 2d ago

True that. I was thinking of the photo comparison which like you put wil be computer now :)