nova Comparison Table

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physical object > natural object > celestial body > collection of stars > star system > binary star > close binary > nova

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nova comparison table

Subject has initial rise of light curve has prototype star has rate of decline of light curve has ultraviolet flux light curve has definition

classical nova typically 12 magnitudes which is nearly exponential which increases after optical maximum

dwarf nova Cataclysmic variable in which the brightness increases suddenly at intervals ranging from several days to years.

recurrent nova typically 6 magnitudes

slow nova A nova whose light curve shows a much more gradual development - i.e., rise time of several days, maximum of several weeks, slower decline, amplitude only about 10 mag.

Subject	has initial rise of light curve	has prototype star	has rate of decline of light curve	has ultraviolet flux light curve	has definition
classical nova	typically 12 magnitudes		which is nearly exponential	which increases after optical maximum
dwarf nova					Cataclysmic variable in which the brightness increases suddenly at intervals ranging from several days to years.
recurrent nova	typically 6 magnitudes
slow nova					A nova whose light curve shows a much more gradual development - i.e., rise time of several days, maximum of several weeks, slower decline, amplitude only about 10 mag.

Next cataclysmic variable: pulsating nova Up: cataclysmic variable, close binary, emission line star Previous cataclysmic variable: flare star