N.B. professor documents full rise and decline of astronomical event

A New Brunswick physics professor says an astronomical discovery could give rare insight into the workings of the universe and advance the study of stellar evolution.

Catherine Lovekin, an astronomer at Mount Allison University in Sackville, assisted in the capture of the full rise and decline of a nova — an astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright new star.

Lovekin is a member of the international team that monitors the BRITE-Constellation satellites, which capture the light of the brightest stars. She says over 150 days, the team was able to capture the full life cycle of a nova.

“We essentially have a full life cycle of a nova now documented, that’s really hard to come by,” Lovekin said. “Having this record and being able to study it will help us understand what’s happening and allow us to check what we think we know about stellar evolution.”

CP/HO - MOUNT ALLISON UNIVERSITY Mount Allison University physics professor and astronomer Dr. Catherine Lovekin, left, assisted in a recent astronomical discovery, tracking a nova outburst and capturing its full life cycle. This rare documentation could greatly impact stellar evolution studies and our understanding of the universe.