Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Nova"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Nova \No"va\ (n[=o]"v[.a]), n.; pl. L. {Nov[ae]} (-v[=e]), E.
{Novas} (-v[.a]z). [L., fem. sing. of novus new.] (Astron.)
A new star, usually appearing suddenly, shining for a brief
period, and then sinking into obscurity. Such appearances are
supposed to result from cosmic collisions, as of a dark star
with interstellar nebulosities.

Note: The most important modern nov[ae] are:

{No"va Co*ro"n[ae] Bo`re*a"lis}[1866];

{No"va Cyg"ni}[1876];

{No"va An*dro"me*d[ae]}[1885];

{No"va Au*ri"g[ae]}[1891-92];

{No"va Per"se*i}[1901]. There are two nov[ae] called {Nova
Persei}. They are:
(a) A small nova which appeared in 1881.
(b) An extraordinary nova which appeared in Perseus in 1901.
It was first sighted on February 22, and for one night
(February 23) was the brightest star in the sky. By July
it had almost disappeared, after which faint surrounding
nebulous masses were discovered, apparently moving
radially outward from the star at incredible velocity.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

nova
n : 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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