Articles tagged with White Dwarfs
A new study reveals that planetary shields can buckle under intense stellar winds from dying stars, making it difficult for life to survive. Planets with weak magnetic fields are particularly vulnerable, while those with stronger fields may be able to withstand the effects.
Researchers discovered a new type of stellar explosion, electron-capture supernovae, which sheds light on the historic 1054 supernova and provides insights into the behavior of stars. The study focuses on the supernova SN2018zd, located in the galaxy NGC 2146, which has all the properties expected from an electron-capture supernova.
Astronomers have discovered a rare binary star system, HD265435, which is spiralling towards a Type Ia supernova. The white dwarf companion will go supernova in around 70 million years, providing valuable insights into the expansion of the universe.
Astronomers have discovered a rare teardrop-shaped star system that will eventually become a Type Ia supernova. The system, HD265435, is comprised of a hot subdwarf and a white dwarf star orbiting each other closely, with the white dwarf being as heavy as our Sun but slightly smaller than Earth's radius.
Astronomers have identified a white dwarf so massive that it may collapse. The discovery provides an example of what can happen after the phase where two less massive white dwarfs merge into one. This process boosts the magnetic field and speeds up rotation compared to progenitors.
A study led by the University of Warwick predicts that four massive planets in a perfect rhythm will be destabilized and turned into a chaotic system when their sun becomes a white dwarf. The planets' movements will become highly uncertain, with even small changes having a significant impact on the outcome.
Astronomers have created a massive atlas of widely separated binary stars within 3,000 light years of Earth, comprising 1.3 million pairs. This increase in sample size provides insights into the evolutionary phases of these binaries, including 17,000 white dwarfs.
University of Warwick astronomers detect lithium and potassium in the atmospheres of four nearby white dwarf stars, revealing remnants of rocky planet crusts. The chemical composition of these crusts is similar to Earth's continental crust, providing a glimpse of the planets that may have orbited these dying stars billions of years ago.
Researchers have identified and measured lithium in white dwarfs for the first time, providing clues to tracking the element's galactic evolution. The discovery sheds light on the cosmological lithium problem, a discrepancy between predicted and actual lithium levels in sun-like stars.
The discovery of WD 1856 b, a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a white dwarf every 34 hours, shows the likely presence of planets around these star remnants. The finding was made possible by NASA's TESS Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope data.
An international team of astronomers has reported the discovery of a planet, WD 1856 b, orbiting a white dwarf star, which is about seven times larger than the star. The planet's unusual orbit has confirmed previous theories of planetary migration from outer to inner solar systems.
Astronomers have found a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a white dwarf star at breakneck speed every 34 hours. The system violates common conventions and may provide a rare habitable arrangement for life to arise.
Astronomers have discovered a Jupiter-sized planet, WD 1856b, orbiting close to a white dwarf star, defying previous assumptions about planetary destruction. The planet's unique characteristics suggest it may have originated far from the star and survived its demise, raising hopes for future discoveries.
Scientists successfully simulated the crushing pressure of white dwarf stars to describe matter behavior, particularly in areas with oscillations. The findings could lead to new approaches for creating novel materials in laboratories.
Astronomers have spotted a spectacular UV flash accompanying a type Ia supernova, providing clues to understanding how white dwarfs explode and creating iron. The event may also shed light on dark energy and the universe's formation.
A team of scientists from the University of Warwick has discovered a white dwarf star that survived a partial thermonuclear supernova explosion. The star, SDSS J1240+6710, is traveling at an incredible velocity of 900,000 km/h and has a low mass consistent with the loss of mass during the explosion.
A new study published in Nature Astronomy sheds light on the origin of carbon in the Milky Way, revealing that dying stars play a crucial role in its synthesis. The research team found that low-mass stars shed more massive remnants than previously thought, breaking a linear trend in star formation and planetary evolution.
A new study reveals that low-mass stars become white dwarfs, producing carbon essential for life, challenging previous theories. The findings place a minimum mass threshold of 1.5 solar masses for star-induced carbon enrichment.
Researchers at Oregon State University found that people can correctly infer a robot's personality from its movement alone, with Happy and Sleepy being rated as most polite. The study suggests that robot personality can positively impact tasks around people, boding well for integration into simple robots
Cornell University astronomers have created a spectral field guide to help future scientists identify biosignatures in the atmospheres of Earth-like exoplanets orbiting white dwarfs. The guide provides template for possible biosignatures, including methane and ozone, which could indicate life on these distant worlds.
A team of researchers has found that shocks from a nova explosion cause most of its brightness, rather than nuclear burning on the surface of the white dwarf. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, used unprecedented space observations to detect bright gamma-rays and optical data from the star V906 Carinae.
A team of international astronomers led by MSU's Elias Aydi found that shocks power most of a nova's brightness, contradicting previous theories. The research uses unprecedented space observations to provide direct evidence for shock-powered optical emission in a nova.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield have discovered a pulsating ancient star in a double star system, allowing them to study the internal structure of a white dwarf in detail for the first time. The discovery provides key insights into the structure, evolution, and death of white dwarf stars, including their composition.
Astronomers have identified a massive white dwarf star with a unique carbon-rich atmosphere, suggesting it was formed from the merger of two white dwarfs. The discovery raises questions about the evolution of massive white dwarf stars and the number of supernovae in our galaxy.
According to a University of Warwick astronomer, the majority of stars in the universe will become luminous enough to blast surrounding asteroids into successively smaller fragments. This process will be triggered by the YORP effect, which creates an imbalance that spins up orbiting asteroids until they break apart.
A new study confirms Lense-Thirring precession - a phenomenon of relativistic frame-dragging - in a distant binary star system. The research observes a long-term drift in the orbital parameters due to the rapidly rotating white dwarf companion, confirming Einstein's general theory of relativity.
An international team of astrophysicists has found evidence for 'frame-dragging', a phenomenon where the spinning of a celestial body twists space and time. The discovery confirms Einstein's theory of General Relativity and provides new insights into the behavior of white dwarfs and neutron stars.
Swedish and Japanese researchers found a new explanation for the emission lines of SN 2006gy, a superluminous supernova. The discovery led to a revised understanding of how the supernova arose, with a double star system involving a white dwarf and massive hydrogen-rich star implicated.
A team of scientists has successfully measured the electron capture rate in intermediate-mass stars, revealing that they are more likely to undergo a thermonuclear explosion than collapse. This finding has significant implications for galactic chemical evolution and the discovery of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments.
LSU astronomers predict that binary star V Sagittae will become the brightest in the Milky Way galaxy, outshining Sirius and Venus, around 2083. The star is currently faintly visible but will brighten rapidly due to its rapid orbital decay.
Researchers using ESO's Very Large Telescope have discovered a giant planet orbiting a hot white dwarf star, stripping away its atmosphere to form a disc. The system's unique properties provide clues to the composition of exoplanet atmospheres and challenge our understanding of planetary systems' final fate.
Astronomers have found evidence of a giant planet surrounding a small, dead white dwarf star, providing insight into the evolution of our own solar system. The discovery suggests that many other planets may be hiding in similar extreme environments.
Researchers use gravity crystals to study the physics of white dwarf stars, shedding light on Wigner crystallization and its application to these celestial bodies. The discovery reveals similar behavior between gravity crystals and white dwarf stars, highlighting the robust nature of this phenomenon.
A new method used to analyze geochemistry of planets outside our solar system implies that Earth is not unique, with rocks from asteroids and white dwarf stars showing similarities to those on Earth and Mars. The study's findings suggest that oxidation plays a significant role in shaping the chemistry of rocky planets.
Astronomers using the Green Bank Telescope have discovered a millisecond pulsar with a massive neutron star at its center, packing 2.17 times the mass of our Sun into a sphere only 30 kilometers across. This finding approaches the limits of how massive and compact an object can become without crushing itself down into a black hole.
West Virginia University astronomers have detected the most massive neutron star ever measured, weighing 2.17 times that of the sun. This groundbreaking discovery was made possible through the Green Bank Telescope and sheds light on the mysteries surrounding these exotic celestial objects.
Scientists have identified the best candidate white dwarfs to hunt for exoplanet cores, which can survive for over 100 million to a billion years. The researchers plan to use radio telescopes to detect radio waves emitted by the cores, potentially leading to breakthrough discoveries.
The discovery of ZTF J1539+5027 is the fastest known eclipsing white dwarf binary, with an orbit period of only 6.91 minutes, making it a valuable target for gravitational wave studies. The system is expected to be one of the strongest sources of gravitational waves detectable by LISA, the future space-based gravitational wave detector.
A team of astronomers at Ohio State University used NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to observe a Type Ia supernova, the first of its kind to measure hydrogen in its spectra. The discovery challenges traditional theories on why white dwarf stars explode and could provide new insights into the elements left behind.
Astronomers have discovered an unusual celestial object, likely the result of two white dwarfs merging and fusing heavier elements. The star's strong stellar wind and magnetic field accelerate its collapse into a neutron star, culminating in a massive supernova explosion.
Astrophysicists from the University of Warwick have modelled the chances of different planets being destroyed by tidal forces when their host stars become white dwarfs. Small, hardy planets packed with dense elements are most likely to survive and reside just outside of the destruction radius.
Astronomers from the University of Warwick detected a heavy metal planet fragment orbiting a white dwarf, which is the remains of a dead star. The fragment, rich in iron and nickel, has survived a system-wide cataclysm that followed the death of its host star.
A new study reveals the first intact planetary body orbiting a white dwarf star, with a densely packed planetesimal no larger than 600 kilometers in diameter. The object's high density suggests it may be the remnant core of a planet stripped away by tidal forces.
The Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project re-launches with a call to volunteer citizen scientists to discover planets and brown dwarfs in the outer reaches of the Solar System. Citizen scientists have already discovered over 1,000 cold nearby brown dwarfs using images from NASA's WISE mission.
A volunteer astronomer found an ancient white dwarf star, LSPM J0207, ringed by dust and debris. The discovery challenges current models of planetary systems and may provide insights into the distant future of our solar system.
A volunteer astronomer has found an ancient white dwarf star with multiple dust rings, forcing researchers to reconsider planetary system models. The discovery challenges current understanding of how planetary systems evolve and could provide insights into the distant future of our solar system.
Astronomers have discovered evidence of a gigantic remnant surrounding an exploding star, indicating that it erupts regularly on a massive scale for millions of years. The team found a super-remnant measuring almost 400 light years across, which is unusually large compared to other known nova systems.
A new technique developed by Embry-Riddle researchers allows for the precise determination of star ages, reducing errors to 5% or less. The method leverages Gaia satellite data and considers factors such as surface temperature, atmospheric composition, and mass.
Researchers identified hydrogen-rich debris shed by a companion star, revealing it was likely a red giant or similar star that made its partner go supernova. This discovery sheds light on the types of companions that trigger Type Ia supernovae, which are used for cosmological studies.
Astronomers have found the first evidence of a 'super-remnant' formed from repeated star explosions in the Andromeda Galaxy. The remnant measures almost 400 light years across and is associated with the most frequent nova explosions known, occurring once a year.
Astronomers have found the first direct evidence of white dwarf stars solidifying into crystals, which could make them billions of years older than previously thought. This discovery has been published in Nature and is based on observations taken with the European Space Agency's Gaia satellite.
Researchers detected periodic X-ray signal near black hole event horizon, estimating spin of 50% the speed of light. The discovery uses tidal disruption flare to estimate black hole spin for the first time.
Researchers have found an extremely hot magnetosphere around a white dwarf, a remnant of a star like our Sun. This discovery sheds light on the origin of highly ionised metals in some white dwarfs, which were previously a puzzle. The study reveals that the magnetic field traps material flowing from the surface, heating it up dramatically.
An international team of astrophysicists has identified the first-ever merger of white and brown dwarf stars, with the debris left behind exhibiting unusual chemical compositions and organic molecules. The discovery sheds new light on the origin of a mysterious star observed by French monk Père Dom Anthelme in 1670.
Researchers confirm collision of white dwarf and brown dwarf stars using ALMA observations. The debris from the explosion reveals the presence of lithium and unusual element isotopes.
The study confirms the evolution of transits produced by a planetesimal orbiting the white dwarf WD 1145+017. The system shows periodic transits blocking light from the star, with continuous interaction and fragmentation resulting in changes in transit depth and shape.
Researchers measured compositions of 18 planetary systems up to 456 light years away, finding similar proportions of elements to those on Earth. The study suggests that Earth-like planets may exist elsewhere in the galaxy.
An international team of astronomers tested the Strong Equivalence Principle using a unique triple star system. They found that even extremely dense neutron stars fall at the same rate as lighter objects, confirming Einstein's general theory of relativity.
A team of astronomers tested Einstein's theory of general relativity using a three-star system and found almost no detectable difference between the pulsar and inner white dwarf, indicating little room for alternative theories of gravity. The study confirms that relativity still applies even in extreme gravity systems.
Scientists have observed a contracting white dwarf for the first time, providing insights into young stars' evolution. The discovery suggests that young white dwarfs contract as they age, challenging current understanding of their behavior.