Articles tagged with Binary Stars
Astronomers have discovered a 'wheel in a wheel' of dust and gas in the GG Tau-A binary star system, revealing a sustaining lifeline between the two discs. This finding supports planet formation by providing a mechanism for material to be transferred from the outer disc to the inner disc.
An international team of astronomers observed a nova explosion using radio telescopes combining data from hundreds to thousands of kilometers apart. They discovered how the gamma-ray emissions are produced, a phenomenon that mystified scientists when first observed in 2012.
A team of researchers, led by Michigan State University astronomer Laura Chomiuk, has discovered the location where a nova explosion emitted gamma rays. Using highly detailed radio telescope images, they pinpointed the source to a stellar explosion, which may be common in other nova explosions.
New modeling studies show most stars were formed from unstable protostar clusters that broke up, leaving behind single or binary stars. These clusters, however, rarely form stable multi-star systems, instead ejecting stars to achieve stability.
A team of astronomers led by Gastón Folatelli at the Kavli IPMU, University of Tokyo, has found evidence of a hot binary companion star to a yellow supergiant star, which had become a bright supernova. The discovery provides the last link in a chain of observations supporting the team's theoretical picture for this supernova.
Astronomers discovered a young binary star system with wildly misaligned planet-forming disks, providing the clearest picture yet of protoplanetary disks around a double star. The system's unique configuration suggests that planets may be influenced by the gravitational pull of a second star, leading to unusual orbits.
Astronomers using ALMA observed a binary star system with two protoplanetary discs, finding that the discs are mutually misaligned. The discs' misalignment suggests that planets forming in such systems can end up in highly eccentric and tilted orbits.
Astronomers have discovered an Earth-like planet in a binary star system, expanding the search for habitable planets. The planet orbits one of the stars at almost exactly the same distance from which Earth orbits the sun, but is much colder due to its host star's dimmer light.
Researchers recreated space-like conditions in a laboratory to study the formation of beam-like jets, confirming a proposed mechanism through experimental results. The experiment used extreme laser powers to create supersonic plasma flows, which interacted to sharply collimate an iron plasma flow.
Astronomers confirm first self-lensing binary star system, where the closer star's mass is measured by its magnifying effect on light from its companion. This discovery improves research on white dwarfs and galaxy age, using gravitational lensing to reveal new insights into these celestial objects.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured an image of SN 2014J, a Type Ia supernova discovered in the galaxy M82. The observations will help refine distance measurements to these explosions, which are essential for understanding the accelerating expansion of the universe.
Researchers found that strongly interacting binary stars are necessary for powerful, bipolar jets of gas and dust to form in planetary nebulae. The jets are produced by accretion processes that provide fuel for the outflows.
Circumbinary planets are thought to have formed far from their binary star systems before migrating to their current location. Researchers used computer simulations to model the early stages of planet formation around Kepler-34(AB)b and found that the majority must have formed much further away.
Scientists discovered previously unseen binary companions to young protostars using upgraded VLA capabilities. The findings support the disk-fragmentation idea, which suggests double stars form when a gas and dust disk fragments, forming a new star in orbit with the first.
Astronomers have successfully imaged individual stars in a nearby binary star system using a new instrument that combines adaptive optics and interferometry.
A new study proposes that fast radio bursts come from flaring stars in the Milky Way, contradicting previous theories of distant galactic origins. The researchers analyzed six detected bursts and found a correlation with stellar flares, suggesting a closer origin.
The discovery of HD 106906 b, a giant planet orbiting its star at 650 times the average Earth-Sun distance, has puzzled astronomers. The planet's unusual orbit and mass throw doubt on existing planet formation theories, leaving scientists searching for alternative explanations.
Researchers have linked a new stripped-envelope supernova, named iPTF13bvn, to its star of origin using novel astronomical survey software. The team also pinpointed the first afterglow of a gamma-ray burst that was found by the Fermi satellite.
Astronomers have confirmed that nearby double star Fomalhaut is actually a triple star system. The discovery was made using precise movements and spectroscopic measurements of astrometric data, revealing a third smaller star in the vicinity. The stars are separated by 5.5 degrees, but their gravitational pull keeps them bound together.
Mercedes Richards, a professor at Penn State University, is being recognized for her groundbreaking research on interacting binary stars. She uses computer models and movies to illustrate how these stars interact, and has made both 2D and 3D images of the gravitational flow of gas between stars in any interacting binary-star system. Ri...
A team of astronomers has solved a decade-old puzzle by accurately measuring the distance to star system SS Cygni at 372 light years. The team used radio telescopes and coordinated with amateur astronomers to pinpoint the exact location of the system, confirming their understanding of exotic objects like black holes.
A University of Alberta physicist collaborated with amateur astronomers to confirm the periodic bursts of light from a binary star, SS Cygni, 370 light years away. The team re-examined an established theory and confirmed its accuracy using data from ground-based radio telescopes and optical observations.
Astronomers have observed a neutron star system known as Circinus X-1, where one of the companion stars is a compact neutron star. The system flared twice during observation, with KAT-7 capturing detailed radio images of the event.
Researchers have confirmed Einstein's theory of general relativity by observing a unique binary star system with a massive neutron star and a white dwarf. The study found that the system's gravitational waves match exactly what Einstein's theory predicts, providing strong evidence for the validity of the theory.
A team of astronomers has measured the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud with unprecedented accuracy, pinning down its value at 163,000 light-years. This breakthrough improves distances for Cepheid variable stars and the Hubble Constant, enabling more precise surveying of the Universe.
Astronomers have uncovered a mysterious infant star with strobe-like flashes, revealing insights into the early stages of star formation. The flashes are thought to be caused by periodic interactions between two newly formed stars in a binary system.
A team of astronomers has observed an unusual 'baby' star, LRLL 54361, periodically emitting infrared light bursts, hinting at the presence of a companion star. The discovery provides a rare chance to study what appears to be a developing binary star system.
Researchers have discovered a way to identify and explain the luminosity generated during common envelope events involving binary stars. The events result in bright red outbursts, similar to recently discovered Luminous Red Novae. Natalia Ivanova's analysis provided new insights into these celestial phenomena.
A recent study found that wide binary stars in planetary systems can lead to dramatic events over time. In one hypothetical system, at least one of four giant planets was ejected in almost half of the simulations. The researchers also discovered substantial evidence that this process occurs regularly in known extrasolar planetary systems.
Astrophysicists found that wide binary stars have a significant impact on planetary systems, causing violent disruptions and scattering planets. The researchers conducted computer simulations and found that planets in these systems are often ejected to interstellar space.
Astronomers detect the lightest exoplanet ever found around a Sun-like star, orbiting about six million kilometers away from the star. The newly discovered planet has a mass similar to Earth and orbits Alpha Centauri B every 3.2 days.
A team of astronomers, led by Joel Kastner from RIT, has conducted the most comprehensive X-ray survey to date for planetary nebulae using Chandra's exceptional 'X-ray vision'. The study reveals new insights into the violent processes of stellar death and wind collisions in X-rays.
Astronomers have discovered the first multi-planet system orbiting a binary star, characterized by the University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory. The system, Kepler-47, features an outer planet within the habitable zone, where liquid water could exist.
Kepler-47b and Kepler-47c are the smallest known transiting circumbinary planets, with masses of 8 and 20 times that of Earth. The outer planet, Kepler-47c, is located within the habitable zone and orbits every 303 days, making it a promising candidate for hosting liquid water.
Researchers from University of Bonn discover most massive stars form double systems, with over three-quarters orbiting a companion. The study reveals material transfer and merging between stars, challenging previous assumptions about single stars.
A study using the VLT found that 75% of O-type stars are in binary systems, with a higher proportion of interacting pairs than previously thought. This discovery has profound implications for galaxy evolution, as these heavyweights play a key role in shaping galaxies through violent phenomena such as stellar mergers and gamma-ray bursts.
A team of astronomers studied 23 Type Ia supernovae to find signatures of gas around the explosions. They found that more powerful explosions came from systems with outflows of gas, but only a fraction showed evidence for these outflows.
New research reveals that supermassive black holes can double in mass by ripping apart double-star systems and swallowing one of the stars. This process is thought to be the dominant method for growing these massive objects.
A University of Utah astrophysicist has proposed that supermassive black holes in galaxy centers grow by consuming single stars from wandering binary pairs. The study found that this process is an efficient way to bring stars close to black holes, outperforming gas clouds as a growth mechanism.
The new data set contains the brightness histories of two hundred million stars and other objects, incorporating over 20 billion independent measurements. This extensive dataset enables numerous studies by the astronomical community.
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope found a large population of hot, bright blue stars in the center of the Andromeda galaxy. The stars, which are aging sun-like stars, have prematurely shed their outer layers to expose their extremely blue-hot cores.
Researchers have discovered two new planets, Kepler-34b and Kepler-35b, orbiting a binary star system using data from NASA's Kepler mission. The low-density gas giants are comparable in size to Jupiter but much less massive, with Kepler-34 being about 24% smaller and Kepler-35 being about 26% smaller.
Astronomers have discovered a unique new object, a dusty ionized gas cloud, nearly doubling its speed in seven years and approaching the event horizon of the black hole. The cloud will break apart completely over the next few years due to external pressure and gravitational pull.
Researchers used Hubble Space Telescope data to rule out some proposed progenitor systems for Type Ia supernovae. The study suggests that the companion star was likely a normal star like our sun, a subgiant, or possibly a white dwarf.
A team of scientists has discovered the fastest-rotating massive star ever recorded, with a rotational velocity of 600 kilometers per second. The star, VFTS 102, is extremely hot and luminous, having been ejected from a double star system by its exploding companion star.
Researchers studying a binary star system in the Whirlpool Galaxy have detected a star dimming noticeably before its companion exploded in a supernova. The study provides evidence that certain patterns of brightening and dimming may signal an impending doom for stars, making it possible to predict when a star is near death.
Researchers have discovered that ancient stars in the Milky Way's halo contain abnormally large amounts of heavy elements like gold and uranium. By analyzing the motions of these stars, they found evidence suggesting that exploding supernovae may have sent jets of enriched gas into space, creating the heavy-element rich stars.
Astronomers found two distinct populations of neutron stars, suggesting different supernova channels. The findings shed light on stellar evolution and open new research areas.
Astronomers have discovered a planet that orbits around a pair of stars, providing direct evidence for the existence of circumbinary planets. The discovery was made using data from the NASA Kepler space telescope and confirms long-speculated theories about these systems.
Researchers found evidence of gas outflows from the supernova ancestors, suggesting they don't originate from white dwarfs. This discovery is crucial for understanding Type Ia supernovae and their immense luminosity.
A new study using Spitzer data reveals a large amount of dust around three mature double-star systems, possibly resulting from planetary collisions. The research suggests that tight double-star systems might not be suitable for life to thrive due to the increased likelihood of chaotic events.
Scientists have discovered a star with a mass of 265 solar masses in the Large Magellanic Cloud, exceeding previous records. This finding raises questions about the formation process of such massive stars and their role in shaping the universe.
A team of UCSB astrophysicists has discovered a unique eclipsing binary star system, confirming a theory about white dwarf stars. The researchers measured the size of a rare helium-core white dwarf for the first time, revealing it burns hotter and is larger than ordinary white dwarfs.
The HM Cancri binary system consists of two white dwarfs with an orbital period of 5.4 minutes, making it the smallest and closest to Earth. Mass is flowing from one star to another, and this system has the potential to emit gravitational waves.
Researchers have made the first direct radio image of a stellar coronal loop at star Algol, which may aid in understanding how space weather affects Earth. The coronal loop is roughly similar to those at the sun but with a more powerful magnetic field and larger size due to tidal effects.
Astronomers have discovered that blue stragglers, which appear youthful despite being older than expected, steal mass from companion stars through stellar smashups. In a star cluster, binary systems brush up against each other, sometimes leading to collision-course orbits and the formation of more massive stars.
Researchers found blue stragglers with different properties, indicating both collision-induced and vampirism-based formation. These findings provide direct evidence of star cluster dynamics on stellar evolution.
Astronomers found two types of blue stragglers that defy aging: those rejuvenated by cosmic collisions and those formed by vampirism. The latter is thought to be caused by a smaller star siphoning hydrogen from its companion, while the former occurs in nearly head-on collisions where stars merge, mixing their nuclear fuel.
Astronomers have discovered a 'super-Earth' orbiting a red dwarf star 40 light-years from Earth. The planet, GJ1214b, is about 6.5 times as massive as the Earth and orbits its star once every 38 hours.
Researchers used high-resolution spectrograph to reveal unexpected tilt of up to 70 degrees from vertical in binary star DI Herculis. The discovery resolves longstanding mystery and sheds light on formation and evolution of binary stars, with implications for Einstein's theory of relativity.