What astronomers had concluded to be a black hole a mere 1,120 light-years from Earth instead appears to be something quite different: a two-star system where one of the stars is sucking the life out of the other.
a mere 1,120 light-years from Earth instead appears to be something quite different: a two-star system where one of the stars is sucking the life out of the other.Far from disappointing, though, the conclusion gives astronomers an exciting opportunity to explore how these 'vampiric' stars evolve.was speculative to begin with, relying on a couple of unchecked assumptions.
Two years ago, researchers from the European Southern Observatory argued the Be star should be wobbling more than it was, hinting at an additional unseen mass throwing its weight into the mix.since cast doubt on the black hole hypothesis, however, suggesting the partner could have far less mass than that used in their calculations. A stripped-down, more lightweight companion wouldn't have the grunt to pull the Be star out of line, making any notion of a third object redundant.
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Tonga volcano eruption yields insights into asteroid impacts on EarthLeonard David is an award-winning space journalist who has been reporting on space activities for more than 50 years. Currently writing as Space.com's Space Insider Columnist among his other projects, Leonard has authored numerous books on space exploration, Mars missions and more, with his latest being 'Moon Rush: The New Space Race' published in 2019 by National Geographic. He also wrote 'Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet' released in 2016 by National Geographic. Leonard has served as a correspondent for SpaceNews, Scientific American and Aerospace America for the AIAA. He was received many awards, including the first Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History in 2015 at the AAS Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium. You can find out Leonard's latest project at his website and on Twitter.
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