A binary star system in the constellation Corona Borealis consists of a white dwarf that pulls in material from a neighboring red giant, resulting in extraordinarily bright explosions every 79 to 80 years. (NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center – image source) Starlight, star bright, will there be a new star tonight? That’s the question astronomers… Read More »
Astronomers may have solved the mystery of why the death shrouds of dead stars appear to lack sulfur, an element once known as “brimstone” and associated with the Biblical phrase “fire and brimstone.” According to theory, significant amounts of sulfur should be present in stellar debris fields throughout the universe. So where did the sulfur… Read More »
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific breakthroughs and more. A decade-long search of the night sky has revealed a mysterious new type of star that astronomers have dubbed an “old smoker.” These previously hidden stellar objects are aging giant stars located near the heart… Read More »
Astronomers have uncovered numerous hidden star clusters, including some violently exploding newborn protostars, as well as others that fall into an unexpected new category of ancient giant red stars. They call the second bodies “ex-smokers”. The team says these ancient smokers lurk at the heart of the Milky Way, sitting quietly for decades before eventually… Read More »
Scientists have discovered evidence of a massive star from the early universe that does not fit our current understanding of the universe. The ancient star-shaped strange ball that researchers have dubbed the “Barbenheimer Star” likely had a never-before-seen mixture of elements at its core—it later died a seemingly impossible death while giving birth to an… Read More »