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	Image Gallery > Featured Image on June 1, 2009 Send to a friend  Enlarge image Keywords Novae and Supernovae  Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer  White Dwarfs  Red Giants  Resources Brightest stars Extrasolar planets FAQs about Stars and Nebulae Astronomy Gift Shop 2009 Sky Almanac Pentax 10x50 binoculars McDonald Observatory logo cap RS Ophiuchi    A disk of hot gas around a "dead" star explodes in this artist's concept. The illustration depicts the star system RS Ophiuchi. It consists of a red giant (right) and a white dwarf, which is the bare core of a once-normal star. The white dwarf's gravity steals gas from the red giant. When enough gas builds up, it triggers a powerful explosion, making the system shine thousands of times brighter. [David A. Hardy/PPARC] For more information, see our June 1 program. Show all images about: All Categories Earth, Moon and the Sun The Solar System Space Probes & Human Exploration Stars & Nebulae Astronomers & Observatories Galaxies & Cosmology Stargazing & Star Lore
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