A classical nova, V2487 Oph 1998, seen in x-rays before and after its explosion.
Classical nova explosions are very energetic and frequent phenomena caused by explosive hydrogen burning on top of an accreting white dwarf. Observations of the recent nova V2487 Oph 1998 by the X-ray Multi-Mirror satellite (XMM-Newton) provide evidence that accretion (probably on a magnetic white dwarf) was reestablished as early as 2.7 years after the explosion. In addition, positional correlation with a source previously discovered by the Röntgen Satellite (ROSAT) in 1990 suggests that the site of a nova explosion had been seen in x-rays before the outburst.
Hernanz
Margarita
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Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya and Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Gran Capità 2-4, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain. hernanz@ieec.fcr.es
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