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Nova vs. Supernova

Nova and Supernova Definitions

Nova

Salmon that has been lightly cured and smoked. Also called Nova lox.

Supernova

A rare celestial phenomenon involving the explosion of a star and resulting in an extremely bright, short-lived object that emits vast amounts of energy. Depending on the type of supernova, the explosion may completely destroy the star, or the stellar core may survive to become a neutron star.

Nova

A star that suddenly increases in luminosity and then gradually returns to its original brightness over a period of weeks to years.

Supernova

(star) The explosion of a star, which increases its absolute magnitude to typically a billion times that of our sun. Some leave only debris, while others fade to invisibility as neutron stars or black holes.

Nova

(astronomy) Any sudden brightening of a previously inconspicuous star.

Supernova

(figurative) Something brilliant.
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Nova

A star which suddenly increases in brightness thousands of times, then fades back to near its original intensity. It may appear as a "new" star if its original brightness was too low for routine observation. A star which suddenly increases in brightness to many millions of times its original intensity is a supernova, and the postulated mechanisms for the increases of brightness of novae and supernovae are different.

Supernova

A star that explodes and becomes extremely luminous in the process

Nova

A star that ejects some of its material in the form of a cloud and become more luminous in the process

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