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Stars engage in vampirism to look young, hot

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.

SourceMcMaster University·JournalNature·DateDec 23, 2009

Resolving a galactic mystery

A deep Chandra X-ray image has resolved a long-standing mystery about an X-ray glow along the plane of the Galaxy. The image reveals hundreds of point-like X-ray sources causing the glow, implying millions of such sources are responsible.

SourceChandra X-ray Center·JournalNature·DateApr 29, 2009

Even stars get fat

A team of scientists discovered that blue stragglers, massive rogue stars found in globular clusters, are formed through a process known as stellar cannibalism. This theory is supported by observations of over 50 globular clusters and suggests that binary star systems play a key role in the formation of these stars.

SourceMcMaster University·JournalNature·DateJan 14, 2009

A special issue on space physics

Papers in this special issue cover data analysis and investigations of the Double Star Program, as well as CMEs, Solar wind, and magnetosphere topics. The conference brought together prominent researchers, including Z.X.LIU and S.T. WU, to share their latest findings on solar and magnetospheric physics.

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.