Unusual Or Unexplained Stars We Discovered in 2019 - 2 Hour Compilation

Anton Petrov・2 minutes read

The Andromeda galaxy is two and a half million light-years away and experiencing frequent Novae explosions in star M31N 2008-12a, caused by white dwarf mass accretion. Scientists predict the star will eventually go supernova within the next 40,000 years, shedding light on celestial object complexity.

Insights

  • Andromeda galaxy is 2.5 million light-years away from the Milky Way.
  • Novae explosions in M31N 2008-12a are caused by mass accretion onto a white dwarf from its partner star.
  • Tabby's Star dimming likely due to dust from eccentric exomoon evaporating.
  • Three-body problem can lead to hypervelocity stars like S5 HVS1.
  • Magnetars have extreme magnetic fields, transforming atoms and posing unique challenges for scientific understanding.

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Recent questions

  • What causes Novae explosions in stars?

    Novae explosions are caused by white dwarfs accreting mass from their partner stars, leading to nuclear explosions.

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Summary

00:00

"Novae explosions in Andromeda's star system"

  • The Andromeda galaxy is about two and a half million light-years away from the Milky Way.
  • A star in the Andromeda galaxy, M31N 2008-12a, is experiencing frequent explosions known as Novae.
  • Novae are different from Type 1a supernovae, occurring around white dwarfs in binary systems.
  • Novae explosions are caused by the white dwarf accreting mass from its partner star, leading to a nuclear explosion.
  • The Novae explosions in M31N 2008-12a are happening much more frequently than usual, creating a 400-light-year super remnant.
  • Scientists believe the increased frequency of Novae in M31N 2008-12a may be due to the white dwarf reaching its mass limit.
  • The star in M31N 2008-12a is predicted to eventually go supernova, possibly within the next 40,000 years.
  • The discovery of the unusual star system HD 98800 revealed a circumbinary protoplanetary disk in a polar configuration.
  • Circumbinary planets in vertical alignment have a higher chance of survival in such systems.
  • HD 98800 has four stars, with most planets orbiting two stars simultaneously, leading to unpredictable seasonal changes and challenging living conditions.

15:46

Exomoon Evaporation Reveals Celestial Mysteries

  • The star known as KIC 8462852, or Tabby's Star, has puzzled scientists due to its unusual dimming, which has decreased its brightness by roughly 20% over a few hundred years.
  • Various explanations were considered, including alien activity, but the most plausible cause was determined to be dust from cometary bodies with eccentric orbits.
  • A recent study proposes a new explanation involving an exomoon being slowly evaporated by the star, creating dusty clouds that block the star's light and cause long-term dimming.
  • The exomoon's eccentric orbit leads to its gradual destruction, with the evaporated material forming a cloud around the star system.
  • The scientists believe the planet associated with the exomoon has likely disappeared, leaving only the exomoon, which is being shredded by the star's radiation.
  • The discovery sheds light on the common occurrence of exomoons and challenges current definitions of planets and moons.
  • The study suggests that exomoons are prevalent and play a significant role in shaping star systems, offering insights into outer regions of the galaxy.
  • Analyzing the dust from the exomoon could reveal its composition and provide valuable information about the star system's contents.
  • The discovery of the unusual star system highlights the complexity and diversity of celestial objects, offering new avenues for research and understanding in astronomy.
  • The study's findings underscore the need for continued exploration and observation to unravel the mysteries of the universe, emphasizing the importance of ongoing scientific inquiry and discovery.

30:50

"White dwarf stars create energy, intrigue"

  • Two white dwarf stars orbit closely, creating energy, astrophysical jets, and gravitational waves, intriguing scientists with mysteries.
  • These stars exhibit unusual variability, changing brightness periodically, hinting at their discovery.
  • The stars will take 130,000 years to reach a distance for mass transfer, allowing predictions of their fate.
  • The stars' proximity is comparable to Jupiter's size, forming a mass equivalent to the Sun, moving closer at 26 cm per day.
  • Despite high energy production, no strong emissions are observed, possibly due to slower matter accretion.
  • In billions of years, these stars may evolve into a white dwarf binary, potentially posing a threat to our solar system.
  • The system is not dangerous currently, being 8,000 light-years away, but may evolve into a catastrophic event in the future.
  • A study on young stars, like FU Orionis, reveals rapid growth spurts, absorbing mass quickly through accretion disks.
  • These growth spurts occur annually, lasting decades to a century, with each event adding significant mass to the star.
  • Understanding these events helps comprehend star formation, with rare observations shedding light on stellar evolution mysteries.

46:15

Brown dwarf accelerates star rotation, cosmic mystery.

  • A brown dwarf known as ng T has B is causing a main star to accelerate its rotation by falling into it.
  • This phenomenon is described as a quasi mechanism, where the brown dwarf moves closer to the star, losing mass and accelerating the star's rotation.
  • The increased rotation leads to a stronger magnetic field and potential for powerful flares, making the star one of the most magnetically active in the galaxy.
  • In about ten million years, the brown dwarf may either disintegrate or be absorbed by the star, spinning the system rapidly.
  • The discovery indicates that planets can influence star behavior, rotation, and activity, potentially explaining unusual observations in the universe.
  • The system's young age of 50 million years suggests further evolution, possibly leading to the star's disintegration or the creation of a new star system.
  • The discovery highlights the influence of massive planets on stars, offering a new mechanism to explain cosmic phenomena.
  • Citizen scientists using the NASA program discovered unusual dimming in the binary star system HD 139 139, prompting further investigation.
  • The binary system exhibited 28 random brightness changes within 87 days, suggesting the presence of similar-sized objects passing in front of the stars.
  • Scientists explored various explanations, ruling out disintegrating planets, cometary objects, and megastructures, leaving the phenomenon unexplained and intriguing for further study.

01:01:16

"Rare Supernova Sheds Light on Galactic Dynamics"

  • Earth passing in front of the Sun creates similar dips to observed stars through the Kepler telescope, allowing alien observers to identify Earth as a planet.
  • Citizen scientists can contribute to science through projects like Zooniverse, analyzing data for scientists through fun minigames.
  • Different types of supernovae exist, such as Type 1a caused by white dwarfs and Type 2 caused by massive stars collapsing.
  • Pair-instability supernovae occur in very massive stars, where gamma rays collide with molecules, creating matter and antimatter, leading to a massive explosion leaving nothing behind.
  • A rare pair-instability supernova was recently observed, visible from a distant galaxy, likely occurring in a low-metal ancient dwarf galaxy.
  • This supernova is unique as it has been ongoing for years, unlike most that fade quickly, possibly due to the star injecting materials outside before the explosion.
  • The supernova's brightness staying for a long time is attributed to the star's location away from the galaxy's center, making it easily visible for years.
  • The supernova likely originated from a massive star that exploded, converting its mass into isotopes like nickel-56 and iron-56.
  • The supernova's location far from the galaxy's center raises questions about its origin, possibly due to the star being kicked out by the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center.
  • The discovery of the fast-moving star S5 HVS1, originating from the galaxy's central region, suggests it was kicked out by the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, providing insights into galactic dynamics.

01:16:28

"Three-Body Problem: Hypervelocity Stars and Ancient Discoveries"

  • The phenomenon of the three-body problem is discussed, involving interactions between three bodies with varying masses and gravitational effects.
  • Simulation in Universe Sandbox is suggested to understand the three-body problem, using the example of the Sun and two planets like Earth and Jupiter.
  • The three-body problem can lead to complex gravitational interactions, potentially altering orbits or ejecting objects from the system.
  • A specific star, S5 HVS1, is highlighted as an example of the three-body problem, where it lost a partner and gained high velocity due to gravitational interactions.
  • The star S5 HVS1 received a boost in velocity from Sagittarius A*, reaching speeds of around 1,800 kilometers per second.
  • The transfer of kinetic energy from the orbital energy to the star led to its high velocity, similar to Earth being ejected at 99% of the speed of light.
  • The origin of the hypervelocity star is traced back to a specific region around the galactic center where many stars were born around 500 million years ago.
  • The hypervelocity star traveled across the galaxy for about 4.8 million years, covering a distance of 27,000 light-years.
  • The discovery of ancient stars in globular clusters is discussed, with techniques like metallicity used to determine their age.
  • The record holder for the lowest metallicity among discovered stars is a red giant located 35,000 light-years away, potentially one of the oldest stars in the galaxy.

01:31:26

Unusual star challenges planet formation theories

  • Investigating the possibility of planets around an unusual object raises questions about planet formation requirements.
  • The presence of gas giants around the object challenges current beliefs about planet formation.
  • Speculation arises that planets formed around carbon could change the understanding of planet creation.
  • The object, classified as a Generation 2 star, offers insight into the early universe's material composition.
  • The star's high metallicity suggests it may have rocky planets similar to Earth.
  • The star's origin from a region lacking supernovae or black holes prompts speculation on its high velocity.
  • Potential explanations for the star's high velocity include interactions with globular clusters or massive stars.
  • The star's unique characteristics, such as its similarity to the Sun and high metallicity, make it a significant discovery.
  • Hypervelocity stars, like the one discussed, are intriguing objects that challenge current astronomical understanding.
  • The study of magnetars, particularly their powerful magnetic fields and potential dangers, is crucial for scientific advancement and understanding of extreme astrophysical phenomena.

01:46:39

"Intense Magnetic Fields Transform Atoms and Stars"

  • The magnetic field in this scenario is so strong that it transforms the vacuum into a polarized substance, causing atoms to stretch significantly.
  • Atoms like hydrogen can elongate to become needles 200 to 300 times longer than usual due to the intense magnetic field.
  • Magnetars, the most potent magnets in the universe, are formed from neutron stars, creating extreme effects not seen elsewhere.
  • Scientists have struggled to explain the formation of magnetars, but a recent study in Nature proposes a theory involving the collision of massive stars.
  • Blue stragglers, like Tao Scorpio, are massive stars formed from collisions in globular clusters, potentially leading to the creation of magnetars.
  • The Triangulum galaxy, often overlooked compared to Andromeda, is a hub for star formation, producing stars at a rapid rate.
  • Japanese scientists discovered massive stars forming in the Triangulum galaxy from collisions of large gas clouds, leading to the creation of bright, short-lived stars.
  • The collision between the Triangulum galaxy and the Milky Way is predicted to occur in about 2.5 billion years, altering the shape of the Milky Way and potentially forming a new galaxy.
  • Spider pulsars are unique neutron stars that have a destructive impact on their companion stars, like the well-known Crab Pulsar in the Crab Nebula.
  • Spider pulsars are characterized by their rapid spinning and small radius, posing a threat to nearby celestial bodies due to their intense magnetic fields.

02:01:54

"Spider Pulsars: Unique Neutron Star Anomaly"

  • Spider pulsars are a type of neutron star that come in two varieties: black widow pulsars and red back pulsars, distinguished by the mass of their partner stars.
  • Black widow pulsars, like B 1957 plus 20, have a brown dwarf partner that is so close it causes the neutron star to lose mass continuously, leading to the brown dwarf being stripped of its matter.
  • A newly discovered pulsar, J 09520607, is the second fastest known pulsar, spinning at 707 times per second, almost reaching the limit before neutron stars disintegrate.
  • This pulsar takes approximately 6.4 hours to complete one orbit and is one of the least magnetized neutron stars observed, suggesting a lack of material transfer from its partner.
  • The pulsar is an anomaly as it is one of the few active pulsars found outside a globular cluster, indicating a unique and poorly understood phenomenon that requires further study to determine its formation and high spin speed.
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