Researchers use Hubble to map 3D structure of exploding star

Witness now the death of a star in glorious 3D. It’s not quite as exciting as all that, but astronomers have managed to map the eruptions of nova using footage from theHubble telescope. Above are three images of T Pyxidis (that’s T Pyx to its friends), a double star system located some 15,600 light-years away — the white globular bit in the middle is the star. The researchers reported to their surprise that the ejected matter has largely stayed in the area of the star, creating a disk of debris, likely expanding but not leaving the orbit. The findings suggest that the companion in the star system helps dictate where that material goes. More info on the research can be found after the break.