In a binary star system near the end of its life, the phenomenon where one star becomes a giant, and its atmosphere spills over to its companion, a white dwarf. A nuclear explosion is triggered on the white dwarf, whose luminosity increases by 10 000 times (10 magnitudes) or more for a few months. The phenomenon can recur.
Portions of the summary below have been contributed by Wikipedia.
Bright novae since 1890
| Year | Nova | Maximum brightness |
|---|---|---|
| 1891 | T Aurigae | 3.8 mag |
| 1898 | V1059 Sagittarii | 4.5 mag |
| 1899 | V606 Aquilae | 5.5 mag |
| 1901 | GK Persei | 0.2 mag |
| 1903 | Nova Geminorum 1903 | 6 mag |
| 1905 | Nova Aquilae 1905 | 7.3 mag |
| 1910 | Nova Lacertae 1910 | 4.6 mag |
| 1912 | Nova Geminorum 1912 | 3.5 mag |
| 1918 | V603 Aquilae | −1.8 mag |
| 1919 | Nova Lyrae 1919 | 7.4 mag |
| 1919 | Nova Ophiuchi 1919 | 7.4 mag |
| 1920 | Nova Cygni 1920 | 2.0 mag |
| 1925 | RR Pictoris | 1.2 mag |
| 1934 | DQ Herculis | 1.4 mag |
| 1936 | CP Lacertae | 2.1 mag |
| 1939 | BT Monocerotis | 4.5 mag |
| 1942 | CP Puppis | 0.3 mag |
| 1943 | Nova Aquilae 1943 | 6.1 mag |
| 1950 | DK Lacertae | 5.0 mag |
| 1960 | V446 Herculis | 2.8 mag |
| 1963 | V533 Herculis | 3 mag |
| 1970 | FH Serpentis | 4 mag |
| 1975 | V1500 Cygni | 2.0 mag |
| 1975 | V373 Scuti | 6 mag |
| 1976 | NQ Vulpeculae | 6 mag |
| 1978 | V1668 Cygni | 6 mag |
| 1984 | QU Vulpeculae | 5.2 mag |
| 1986 | V842 Centauri | 4.6 mag |
| 1991 | V838 Herculis | 5.0 mag |
| 1992 | V1974 Cygni | 4.2 mag |
| 1999 | V1494 Aquilae | 5.03 mag |
| 1999 | V382 Velorum | 2.6 mag |
| 2006 | RS Ophiuchi | 4.5 mag |
Note: Please add all novae brighter than 6 mag
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