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Science
Related: About this forumAstronomers Observe a New Type of Binary Star Long Predicted to Exist
12.01.21
Researchers have predicted the new class of stars existence for 50 years but until now, never observed it in space.
M.Weiss/Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
Cambridge, MA -- Researchers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian have observed a new type of binary star that has long been theorized to exist. The discovery finally confirms how a rare type of star in the universe forms and evolves.
The new class of stars, described in this month's issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, was discovered by postdoctoral fellow Kareem El-Badry using the Shane Telescope at Lick Observatory in California and data from several astronomical surveys.
"We have observed the first physical proof of a new population of transitional binary stars," says El-Badry. "This is exciting; it's a missing evolutionary link in binary star formation models that we've been looking for."
A New Type of Star
When a star dies, theres a 97 percent chance it will become a white dwarf, a small dense object that has contracted and dimmed after burning through all its fuel.
More:
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/astronomers-observe-new-type-binary-star-long-predicted-exist
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Astronomers Observe a New Type of Binary Star Long Predicted to Exist (Original Post)
Judi Lynn
Dec 2021
OP
'Astronomical predictions', seem to have a certain provenance, in the world as
empedocles
Dec 2021
#2
Response to Judi Lynn (Original post)
empedocles This message was self-deleted by its author.
empedocles
(15,751 posts)2. 'Astronomical predictions', seem to have a certain provenance, in the world as
we know it.
[I took a college class in astronomy, but it had no great impact. However, I have a brother-in-law who is in a local astronomy club. Has his own large scope, in a highland shed, with 'relatively' limited astronomcer 'light pollution' which lights up the coastal US areas so vividly. So I have some distant feel and appreciation for some of your articles - and helps to have a vivid color picture as you put above. ]
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,905 posts)3. Oh, my.
Thank you for posting.