Many times these two are taken to be the same thing however there are significant differences between a nova and supernova. Novae, however, have not been classified into any such types. These types are classified on the basis of the chemical reactions that result in them. Supernovae are classified into two types: Type I and Type II. (5) A supernova is usually formed after either a chemical imbalance, or due to implosion of the core of the host star.(6) This process occurs through nuclear fusion. Nova usually occur in binary systems where the white dwarf absorbs matter from the other star and this results in large compression which makes the star ignite. Scientists usually detect a few novae each year whereas super novae are detected roughly once every fifty years. A nova is generally of a period between a few weeks to years.Īnother thing that differs between the two is how often does each occur. Meaning the amount of energy released in a supernova is much greater than that released in a nova usually this value is about 1044 Joules (4).Īdditionally, a supernova lasts longer than a nova. This results in another difference which is that a nova can be seen at the same place multiple times, on the other hand, a supernova cannot.Ī nova is the result of “eruption of a very old dying star”(3) supernova is also the result of a dying star but it is the result of a “violent” explosion of the star (3). Since so much mass is ejected in a supernova it disrupts the star in which it occurs. Where as in a nova, very less mass is ejected as compared to that in a supernova.Ī nova does not destroy its host star whereas a super nova does. The amount of this mass is more than the mass of the sun. The major difference between a nova and a supernova is that in a supernova a lot of the object’s mass is ejected with the explosion. From the definitions it is clear that both nova and supernova result in tremendous amount of brightness. On the other hand, a supernova is “a rare celestial phenomenon involving the explosion of most of the material in a star, resulting in an extremely bright, short-lived object that emits vast amounts of energy” (2). A nova is defined as “A star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then gradually returns to its original brightness over a period of weeks to years” (1). Nova and supernova are two features of the universe.
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