Dwarf nova

Dwarf nova HT Cas seen in outburst (mag ~13.4) on November 2, 2010

A dwarf nova (pl. novae), or U Geminorum variable, is one of several types of cataclysmic variable star, consisting of a close binary star system in which one of the components is a white dwarf that accretes matter from its companion. Dwarf novae are dimmer and repeat more often than "classical" novae.