Science
Related: About this forumRunaway star caught streaking across Milky Way at 2 million mph ... in the wrong direction
By Charlie Wood about 6 hours ago
A white dwarf star hurtling through the Milky Way could have survived a cataclysmic supernova (depicted in this illustration). (Image credit: Shutterstock)
In 2017, astronomers noticed a star streaking out of the Milky Way at nearly 2 million mph (3.2 million km/h) roughly four times faster than our sun orbits and flying against the direction in which most stars trek around the galactic center. It's also made of completely different star stuff, mostly heavy, "metallic" atoms rather than the usual light elements. LP 40-365, as it was called, was as eye-catching as a wooden car barreling up the interstate against traffic at hundreds of miles per hour.
"It is exceptionally weird in a lot of different ways," said study lead author J.J. Hermes, an astronomer at Boston University.
The star moves so quickly that it's headed out of our galaxy for good, which astronomers have taken as evidence that the metallic explorer was launched here by a cosmic catastrophe a supernova. But they couldn't tell how the supernova had sent it flying. Was LP 40-365 a piece of the exploded star itself? Or was it a partner star flung clear by the shockwave associated with star explosions? A new analysis of old data finds that the star called a white dwarf spins about its axis at a leisurely pace a hint that it is indeed a piece of stellar debris (not a partner star) that managed to survive one of the galaxy's most violent and mysterious events.
"We can now connect this star to the shrapnel from an exploded white dwarf with a lot more confidence," said Hermes.
More:
https://www.livescience.com/runaway-star-streaks-milky-way.html?utm_source=notification
brush
(53,918 posts)Last edited Wed Aug 11, 2021, 09:20 PM - Edit history (1)
What does our sun orbit?
Turns out the sun orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy. It seems everything either revolves or rotates something, or both. Circular motion is key. Thus, the Milky Way galaxy revolves around our neighboring galaxy Andromeda, which revolves around itself.
Huh?
They lost me there...the astronomy web sites that is. Why does the Milky way revolve around Andromeda and why and how does Andromeda revolve around it self? And does our pair of galaxies revolve around a much large entity? It gets mind boggling.
getagrip_already
(14,864 posts)brush
(53,918 posts)getagrip_already
(14,864 posts)In order to bend a spoon with your mind, you first have to realize there is no spoon.
brush
(53,918 posts)getagrip_already
(14,864 posts)You first have to realize that there are no galaxies.
brush
(53,918 posts)getagrip_already
(14,864 posts)Javaman
(62,534 posts)my brain hurts. to much thinking for today.
eppur_se_muova
(36,301 posts)Apparently the Milky Way and Andromeda are roughly the same mass, so they're "mutual captives".