GK Persei

GK Persei is a cataclysmic variable star system in the constellation Perseus. It is a recurrent nova, having undergone a bright nova outburst in 1901. The nova event was observed by Thomas David Anderson on February 21, 1901, and reached a peak magnitude of 0.2, making it one of the brightest novae of modern times. It is also known as Nova Persei 1901.

The system consists of a white dwarf star accreting material from a low-mass main sequence star in a close binary orbit. The outburst was caused by a thermonuclear runaway on the surface of the white dwarf, triggered by the accumulation of hydrogen-rich material from the companion star.

Following the initial outburst, GK Persei gradually faded in brightness. However, it continues to exhibit dwarf nova-like outbursts of smaller amplitude. It is also notable for the surrounding nebula, known as the "Firework Nebula" or "Van Maanen's star," which formed as a result of the nova explosion. This nebula expands over time, providing astronomers with a valuable opportunity to study the interaction of the nova ejecta with the surrounding interstellar medium.

GK Persei is an important object of study for understanding the physics of cataclysmic variable stars, nova outbursts, and the evolution of binary star systems. Its historical outburst and subsequent behavior have provided valuable data for developing and testing theoretical models of these phenomena.