Recurrent Novae

Re-boom!

Expecting this? Perhaps not! Why on Earth (or outside it) would yet another "bang" be heard? You may have noticed the metaphor behind the first of a series of posts in this blog.. The first post was the "Big Bang", understandably. But at the beginning of each burst of posts, other kaboom-ish sounds would be encoded in post titles as if stellar light were sound..
While to some this blogging effort could resemble an old engine's exhaust, thumping in need of maintenance and regular use, I prefer to see it as a Recurrent-type of Nova.. One with no discernible periodicity.. One that shines brighter when it decides to..

So, do expect new posts with possibly interesting stuff attached to them..

Meanwhile... Recurrent Novae are Cataclysmic-type Variables, formed by multiple-star systems, where one of the stellar members decides to pull a prank on its close-by neighbour stealing some matter, and unleashing some rather luminous fireworks display in the process. They can happen once in "some years", denoting the short distance between stars. The most recent recorded outburst of a Recurrent Nova was that of Tau Pyxids, earlier this year, in April. It is still rather bright at (V) 8~9 mag.