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Pulsating star sheds light on exoplanet

A team of researchers has developed a new method to measure the internal properties of stars, enabling more accurate assessments of their orbiting planets. By using asteroseismology, they were able to determine the mass and rotation rate of a pulsating star, confirming the existence of an exoplanet in its orbit.

SourceNew York University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 29, 2013

Planetrise

The newly discovered two-planet system of Kepler-36 features a rocky planet Kepler-36b and a gas giant Kepler-36c that experience close encounters every 97 days. Researchers are struggling to understand how these worlds ended up in such tight orbits, but the discovery has significant implications for the search for exoplanets.

The turbulent lives of stars

Researchers have detected stellar oscillations in a hotter star, revealing insights into its internal structure and composition. The discovery was made possible by the Kepler space telescope and provides new information on the processes that govern stellar behavior.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature·DateSep 15, 2011

World's observatories watching 'cool' star

Scientists are synchronizing lenses of the Whole Earth Telescope network to monitor a white dwarf, shedding light on its composition and applying knowledge to Earth's weather. The star, WDJ1524-0030, is losing brightness as it cools, with astronomers studying its pulses to understand internal movements.

Gamma-Ray Bursts: Spindown Of Cosmic Flywheels

A rapidly spinning neutron star can naturally produce a Gamma-ray burst by oscillating and radiating its rotation energy. The spin-down process is triggered by the gravitational wave instability, which grows explosively in hours or minutes, strengthening the magnetic field and eventually radiating away all remaining rotation energy.