Astronomers have captured the first close-up shot of a star outside our galaxy. This star is in the end stages of its life and is gearing up to explode as a supernova. WOH G64 was discovered in the 1970s and has been under constant observation since then. It is among the largest stars on record and is also extremely luminous. It is one of the most massive red supergiants (RSGs) as well.

The star lives in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which is the Milky Way’s largest satellite galaxy. The images were captured by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope Interferometer. Getting such an up-close look at the star is a major accomplishment for the scientists who have been watching the star.

“For the first time, we have succeeded in taking a zoomed-in image of a dying star in a galaxy outside our own Milky Way,” lead author Keiichi Ohnaka, an astrophysicist from Universidad Andrés Bello in Chile, said.

WOH G64 is a whopping 160,000 light-years away and 2,000 times larger than the Sun.

The images were published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. The study, titled “Imaging the innermost circumstellar environment of the red supergiant WOH G64 in the Large Magellanic Cloud", gives a detailed account of the star.

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<h2>The star is dying</h2>

The images show a cocoon of dust around the star, which the authors say is evidence that it’s convulsed and shed some of its outer layers.

“We discovered an egg-shaped cocoon closely surrounding the star,” Ohnaka said. “We are excited because this may be related to the drastic ejection of material from the dying star before a supernova explosion.”

The study authors call WOH G64 "the most extreme of its kind", one that is inching towards an explosion.

“This star is one of the most extreme of its kind, and any drastic change may bring it closer to an explosive end," study co-author Jacco van Loon of the Keele Observatory said.

“Significant mass loss in the red supergiant (RSG) phase is of great importance for the evolution of massive stars before they end their life in a supernova (SN) explosion,” the researchers wrote in the paper.

"These massive stars forge heavy elements through nucleosynthesis then spread them out into their surroundings when they explode. These heavy elements make rocky planets possible," they add.

Such stars can also "trigger the birth of new stars", and so, the authors say, "Better images of stars approaching their explosive ends help astronomers understand them better."

Astronomers have captured the first close-up shot of a star outside our galaxy. This star is in the end stages of its life and is gearing up to explode as a supernova.

Astronomers have captured the first close-up shot of a star outside our galaxy. This star is in the end stages of its life and is gearing up to explode as a supernova. WOH G64 was discovered in the 1970s and has been under constant observation since then. It is among the largest stars on record and is also extremely luminous. It is one of the most massive red supergiants (RSGs) as well. The star lives in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which is the Milky Way’s largest satellite galaxy. The images were captured by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope Interferometer. Getting such an up-close look at the star is a major accomplishment for the scientists who have been watching the star. “For the first time, we have succeeded in taking a zoomed-in image of a dying star in a galaxy outside our own Milky Way,” lead author Keiichi Ohnaka, an astrophysicist from Universidad Andrés Bello in Chile, said. WOH G64 is a whopping 160,000 light-years away and 2,000 times larger than the Sun. The images were published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. The study, titled “Imaging the innermost circumstellar environment of the red supergiant WOH G64 in the Large Magellanic Cloud", gives a detailed account of the star. Also Read: When will Earth get its next mini-moon? A 1981 and 2022 visitor returns in... The star is dying The images show a cocoon of dust around the star, which the authors say is evidence that it’s convulsed and shed some of its outer layers. “We discovered an egg-shaped cocoon closely surrounding the star,” Ohnaka said. “We are excited because this may be related to the drastic ejection of material from the dying star before a supernova explosion.” The study authors call WOH G64 "the most extreme of its kind", one that is inching towards an explosion. “This star is one of the most extreme of its kind, and any drastic change may bring it closer to an explosive end," study co-author Jacco van Loon of the Keele Observatory said. “Significant mass loss in the red supergiant (RSG) phase is of great importance for the evolution of massive stars before they end their life in a supernova (SN) explosion,” the researchers wrote in the paper. "These massive stars forge heavy elements through nucleosynthesis then spread them out into their surroundings when they explode. These heavy elements make rocky planets possible," they add. Such stars can also "trigger the birth of new stars", and so, the authors say, "Better images of stars approaching their explosive ends help astronomers understand them better."

Snapped up and close, a dying star outside the Milky Way

A "dead star" neutron star has been spotted spinning 716 times a second, astonishing astronomers who say it is the joint fastest-spinning cosmic body they have ever seen. What's more terrifying is that its surface is simultaneously erupting with powerful explosions, which are almost the same as detonating atomic bombs.

NASA's X-ray telescope Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mounted on the outside of the International Space Station captured the fast-spinning neutron star.

The demon star belongs to the binary system 4U 1820-30, which sits in the globular cluster NGC 6624. This cluster sits inside the Milky Way, situated near the heart of our galaxy, and is around 26 light-years from Earth.

"We were studying thermonuclear explosions from this system and then found remarkable oscillations, suggesting a neutron star spinning around its centre axis at an astounding 716 times per second," Gaurava Kumar&nbsp;Jaisawal of DTU Space, a member of the research team, said in a statement.

The only other body with such a fast spinning rate in the binary system is another neutron star called PSR J1748–2446. This one also spins at a rate of 716 times a second or 42,960 times per minute.

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It is a dead star, a white dwarf, which is almost the same in mass as remnants left behind by stars comparable to the sun in mass. This stellar corpse is moving around its neutron star partner once every 11 minutes. This makes it a binary star system with the shortest orbital period ever seen.

Neutron stars that spin so fast are formed when extremely huge stars, that are at least eight times the mass of the sun, run out of fuel for nuclear fusion.

<h2>Why do some neutron stars spin so fast?</h2>

All stars, at some point, run out of fuel. They can no longer fuse elements to create progressively heavier elements in their core. When this happens, the outward energy or "radiation pressure" ceases to exist. Since this is what has helped it stand against the inward push of its own gravity for billions of years, its core rapidly collapses under its own gravity.&nbsp;

This process sends out shockwaves into the dying star's outer layers. A supernova explosion is triggered that rips away the outer layers and most of the star's mass.

The newly deceased star has a width of only 20 kilometres, and it is this rapid compression in diameter that causes neutron stars to spin rapidly.&nbsp;

A "dead star" neutron star has been spotted spinning 716 times a second, astonishing astronomers who say it is the joint fastest-spinning cosmic body they have ever seen.

A "dead star" neutron star has been spotted spinning 716 times a second, astonishing astronomers who say it is the joint fastest-spinning cosmic body they have ever seen. What's more terrifying is that its surface is simultaneously erupting with powerful explosions, which are almost the same as detonating atomic bombs. NASA's X-ray telescope Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mounted on the outside of the International Space Station captured the fast-spinning neutron star. The demon star belongs to the binary system 4U 1820-30, which sits in the globular cluster NGC 6624. This cluster sits inside the Milky Way, situated near the heart of our galaxy, and is around 26 light-years from Earth. "We were studying thermonuclear explosions from this system and then found remarkable oscillations, suggesting a neutron star spinning around its centre axis at an astounding 716 times per second," Gaurava Kumar Jaisawal of DTU Space, a member of the research team, said in a statement. The only other body with such a fast spinning rate in the binary system is another neutron star called PSR J1748–2446. This one also spins at a rate of 716 times a second or 42,960 times per minute. Also Read: Deaf mosquitoes can't have sex, so scientists see it as a way to combat dengue It is a dead star, a white dwarf, which is almost the same in mass as remnants left behind by stars comparable to the sun in mass. This stellar corpse is moving around its neutron star partner once every 11 minutes. This makes it a binary star system with the shortest orbital period ever seen. Neutron stars that spin so fast are formed when extremely huge stars, that are at least eight times the mass of the sun, run out of fuel for nuclear fusion. Why do some neutron stars spin so fast? All stars, at some point, run out of fuel. They can no longer fuse elements to create progressively heavier elements in their core. When this happens, the outward energy or "radiation pressure" ceases to exist. Since this is what has helped it stand against the inward push of its own gravity for billions of years, its core rapidly collapses under its own gravity. This process sends out shockwaves into the dying star's outer layers. A supernova explosion is triggered that rips away the outer layers and most of the star's mass. The newly deceased star has a width of only 20 kilometres, and it is this rapid compression in diameter that causes neutron stars to spin rapidly.

Blasts similar to detonating atomic bombs rattling fast-spinning stellar corpse

NASA has discovered a supermassive black hole that killed one star and is now using the wreckage to destroy another star or black hole. The Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes combined to spot the black hole that is on a killer mission.

The findings were published in the journal Nature on Oct 9.&nbsp;

In 2019, a burst of light was observed by an optical telescope in California. A black hole had shredded a star that got too close to it using its powerful tidal forces. The event was later categorised as a "tidal disruption event", or TDE. All that remains after the event is a disk that orbits the black hole.

This disk grew in size over time, expanding at a regular rate. This has brought it in the path of another star, possibly a stellar-mass black hole. This black hole is orbiting the massive black hole. While earlier it was at a safe distance, now it is repeatedly crashing into the disk left behind by the dead star.

This happens every 48 hours, with each collision resulting in a burst of X-rays that Chandra captured.

“Imagine a diver repeatedly going into a pool and creating a splash every time she enters the water,” said Matt Nicholl of Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom, the study’s lead author.

In this case, "The star is like the diver and the disk is the pool."&nbsp;

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"Each time the star strikes the surface, it creates a huge ‘splash’ of gas and X-rays. As the star orbits around the black hole, it does this over and over again.”

<h2>X-ray bursts</h2>

The X-ray burst is a cosmic phenomenon that occasionally occurs in the universe and has been named "quasi-periodic eruptions", or QPEs. Astronomers had been observing them for some time but were not able to pinpoint the reason.

The discovery of this supermassive black hole on a killing spree is proof that TDEs and QPEs are connected, experts think.&nbsp;

Researchers believe that QPEs happen when an object smashes into the disk left behind after the TDE. The study authors say that this might not be the case with all of them, but they are the source of at least some QPEs.

“There had been feverish speculation that these phenomena were connected, and now we’ve discovered the proof that they are,” said co-author Dheeraj Pasham of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“It’s like getting a cosmic two-for-one in solving mysteries.”

The Chandra data was obtained during three observations, each with a gap of about 4 to 5 hours. Chandra time exposure was about 14 hours and it revealed only a weak signal in the first and last chunks but a very strong signal in the middle observation.

NASA has discovered a supermassive black hole that killed one star and is now using the wreckage to destroy another star or black hole. The Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes combined to spot the black hole that is on a killer mission.

NASA has discovered a supermassive black hole that killed one star and is now using the wreckage to destroy another star or black hole. The Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes combined to spot the black hole that is on a killer mission. The findings were published in the journal Nature on Oct 9. In 2019, a burst of light was observed by an optical telescope in California. A black hole had shredded a star that got too close to it using its powerful tidal forces. The event was later categorised as a "tidal disruption event", or TDE. All that remains after the event is a disk that orbits the black hole. This disk grew in size over time, expanding at a regular rate. This has brought it in the path of another star, possibly a stellar-mass black hole. This black hole is orbiting the massive black hole. While earlier it was at a safe distance, now it is repeatedly crashing into the disk left behind by the dead star. This happens every 48 hours, with each collision resulting in a burst of X-rays that Chandra captured. “Imagine a diver repeatedly going into a pool and creating a splash every time she enters the water,” said Matt Nicholl of Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom, the study’s lead author. In this case, "The star is like the diver and the disk is the pool." Also Read: Sun storm might kill the comet, but be ready to be amazed by auroras "Each time the star strikes the surface, it creates a huge ‘splash’ of gas and X-rays. As the star orbits around the black hole, it does this over and over again.” X-ray bursts The X-ray burst is a cosmic phenomenon that occasionally occurs in the universe and has been named "quasi-periodic eruptions", or QPEs. Astronomers had been observing them for some time but were not able to pinpoint the reason. The discovery of this supermassive black hole on a killing spree is proof that TDEs and QPEs are connected, experts think. Researchers believe that QPEs happen when an object smashes into the disk left behind after the TDE. The study authors say that this might not be the case with all of them, but they are the source of at least some QPEs. “There had been feverish speculation that these phenomena were connected, and now we’ve discovered the proof that they are,” said co-author Dheeraj Pasham of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It’s like getting a cosmic two-for-one in solving mysteries.” The Chandra data was obtained during three observations, each with a gap of about 4 to 5 hours. Chandra time exposure was about 14 hours and it revealed only a weak signal in the first and last chunks but a very strong signal in the middle observation.

Supermassive black hole on a killing spree is using dead star remains as weapon

NASA’s X-ray telescopes recently observed “glitches” in a highly magnetic neutron star, or magnetar near the heart of the Milky Way. These glitches were so powerful that they accelerated the star’s spin speed and also helped slow down the neutron star (almost a dead star), which can be game-changing in understanding what goes inside a star.&nbsp;

Understanding what goes on within a magnetar may finally unveil how these strange bodies launch as Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), say scientists.

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FRBs are enigmatic bursts of light that can momentarily surpass the brightness of an entire galaxy. While scientists acknowledge the existence of these intense pulses, the exact reason behind their occurrence remains unknown.

Tracing and identifying the source of FRBs has posed a significant challenge due to their momentary nature. Until recently, all traced FRBs were found to originate from beyond our galaxy, complicating efforts to determine their origins.

<h2>Recent observations might help in understanding the origin of FRBs</h2>

In the recent discovery, the research team focused on studying SGR 1935+2154 (SGR 1935), which is considered the most active magnetar in our galaxy in the past decade.&nbsp;

Located approximately 30,000 light-years away from Earth, SGR 1935 was examined using both the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) instrument aboard the International Space Station and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) space telescope.&nbsp;

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Utilising these instruments, the team identified two significant glitches associated with the magnetar, occurring approximately nine hours apart.

To put things into context, the interior of a magnetar is so dense that a teaspoon of its material would weigh about a billion tons on Earth!&nbsp;

Right in the middle of the two glitches, SGR 1935 emitted an FRB. Following both instances of increased rotation speed, the neutron star somehow returned to its usual rotation rate, prompting the team to find an explanation for it.

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The research team suggests that the magnetar SGR 1935 returning to its normal speed is due to a brief but powerful wind originating from the star's magnetosphere. This wind carries away angular momentum, rapidly decelerating the star's rotation.

They propose that the same mechanism responsible for this wind also enhances the magnetar's X-ray emissions, potentially creating the magnetic conditions necessary for generating FRBs.

The groundbreaking study was published in the February 14 issue of the journal Nature.&nbsp;

Despite the valuable insights gained from recent observations on FRBs, there are still many unanswered questions. The complex interactions leading to the creation of FRBs remain a subject of intense research.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s X-ray telescopes recently observed “glitches” in a highly magnetic neutron star, or magnetar near the heart of the Milky Way. These glitches were so powerful that they accelerated the star’s spin speed and also helped slow down the neutron star (almost a dead star), which can be game-changing in understanding what goes inside a star.

NASA’s X-ray telescopes recently observed “glitches” in a highly magnetic neutron star, or magnetar near the heart of the Milky Way. These glitches were so powerful that they accelerated the star’s spin speed and also helped slow down the neutron star (almost a dead star), which can be game-changing in understanding what goes inside a star. Understanding what goes on within a magnetar may finally unveil how these strange bodies launch as Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), say scientists. Also Read | Radio waves that took 8 billion years to reach Earth hint at signs of alien life: Expert FRBs are enigmatic bursts of light that can momentarily surpass the brightness of an entire galaxy. While scientists acknowledge the existence of these intense pulses, the exact reason behind their occurrence remains unknown. Tracing and identifying the source of FRBs has posed a significant challenge due to their momentary nature. Until recently, all traced FRBs were found to originate from beyond our galaxy, complicating efforts to determine their origins. Recent observations might help in understanding the origin of FRBs In the recent discovery, the research team focused on studying SGR 1935+2154 (SGR 1935), which is considered the most active magnetar in our galaxy in the past decade. Located approximately 30,000 light-years away from Earth, SGR 1935 was examined using both the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) instrument aboard the International Space Station and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) space telescope. Also Read | Can ADHD traits actually have evolutionary benefits? New study reveals groundbreaking data Utilising these instruments, the team identified two significant glitches associated with the magnetar, occurring approximately nine hours apart. To put things into context, the interior of a magnetar is so dense that a teaspoon of its material would weigh about a billion tons on Earth! Right in the middle of the two glitches, SGR 1935 emitted an FRB. Following both instances of increased rotation speed, the neutron star somehow returned to its usual rotation rate, prompting the team to find an explanation for it. Also Read | Has anaconda been dethroned as largest snake? Check deets The research team suggests that the magnetar SGR 1935 returning to its normal speed is due to a brief but powerful wind originating from the star's magnetosphere. This wind carries away angular momentum, rapidly decelerating the star's rotation. They propose that the same mechanism responsible for this wind also enhances the magnetar's X-ray emissions, potentially creating the magnetic conditions necessary for generating FRBs. The groundbreaking study was published in the February 14 issue of the journal Nature. Despite the valuable insights gained from recent observations on FRBs, there are still many unanswered questions. The complex interactions leading to the creation of FRBs remain a subject of intense research. (With inputs from agencies)

'Glitches' from dead star could reveal origin of mysterious deep space signals: Study

The Universe has ongoing celestial processes that are sometimes beyond our imagination and scientific understanding. As science progresses, new techniques are developed and something unknown previously comes into light. Now, because of the research carried out in a university in Mexico, we now know how to determine whether there are planets revolving around dead binary stars. Dr. Carlos Chavez, from the Universidad Autónoma De Nuevo León in Mexico is the lead author of this study.

The focus of this study was Cataclysmic Variables (CVs), type of binary stars which are so close to each other that the bigger star draws material from the smaller one while they revolve around each other.

In CVs, the bigger star (primary) is generally a white dwarf while the smaller star (donor) is a red dwarf. primary star draws material from the donor star.

As the the material is drawn, it forms a heated disc around the stars called 'accretion disc'.

In such a binary star system, there is point of gravitational equillibrium. This is called Lagrangian Point.

If a planet is present in this star system, it causes oscillations in the Lagrangian Point. This in turn, causes changes in the luminosity of the star system. Researchers say that by detecting changes in luminosity, it can be determined if a planet is present or not.

The research has been published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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The Universe has ongoing celestial processes that are sometimes beyond our imagination and scientific understanding. As science progresses, new techniques are developed and something unknown previously comes into light.

The Universe has ongoing celestial processes that are sometimes beyond our imagination and scientific understanding. As science progresses, new techniques are developed and something unknown previously comes into light. Now, because of the research carried out in a university in Mexico, we now know how to determine whether there are planets revolving around dead binary stars. Dr. Carlos Chavez, from the Universidad Autónoma De Nuevo León in Mexico is the lead author of this study. The focus of this study was Cataclysmic Variables (CVs), type of binary stars which are so close to each other that the bigger star draws material from the smaller one while they revolve around each other. In CVs, the bigger star (primary) is generally a white dwarf while the smaller star (donor) is a red dwarf. primary star draws material from the donor star. As the the material is drawn, it forms a heated disc around the stars called 'accretion disc'. In such a binary star system, there is point of gravitational equillibrium. This is called Lagrangian Point. If a planet is present in this star system, it causes oscillations in the Lagrangian Point. This in turn, causes changes in the luminosity of the star system. Researchers say that by detecting changes in luminosity, it can be determined if a planet is present or not. The research has been published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Now we know how to find planets orbitting dead stars

A dead star has officially smashed the record for the fastest known spin rate of a white dwarf.

Located over 2000 ight years away, the wild 'propellor' star is called LAMOST J024048.51+195226.9.

The research, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, shows that the star's speed has broken the previous record by 29 seconds.

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Plasma is getting flung out at 3000 km/second from the star which resembles AE Aquarii.

According to astrophysicist Ingrid Pelisoli of the University of Warwick in the UK, ''the star will have completed several rotations in the short amount of time that people take to read about it, it is really incredible.''

''The rotation is so fast that the white dwarf must have an above average mass just to stay together and not be torn apart.''

''It is pulling material from its companion star due to its gravitational effect, but as that gets closer to the white dwarf the magnetic field starts to dominate. This type of gas is highly conducting and picks up a lot of speed from this process, which propels it away from the star and out into space,'' he added.

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In their death throes, roughly 97 per cent&nbsp;of all stars become a smoldering stellar zombie called a white dwarf, one of the densest objects in the cosmos.

Only two other types of objects,&nbsp;black holes and neutron stars,&nbsp;are more compact than white dwarfs.

Stars with up to eight times the mass of our sun are thought to be destined to end up as a white dwarf.&nbsp;

Such stars eventually burn up all of the hydrogen they use as fuel through nuclear fusion. At this point, gravity causes them to collapse and blow off their outer layers in a 'red giant' stage, eventually leaving a dense core that is a white dwarf.

White dwarfs initially have high temperatures but gradually cool over time, lacking any new energy source.

In appprocimately 5 billion years, our sun is expected to become a red giant and later a white dwarf.

(With inputs from agencies)

A dead star has officially smashed the record for the fastest known spin rate of a white dwarf. Located over 2000 ight years away, the wild 'propellor' star is called LAMOST J024048.

A dead star has officially smashed the record for the fastest known spin rate of a white dwarf. Located over 2000 ight years away, the wild 'propellor' star is called LAMOST J024048.51+195226.9. The research, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, shows that the star's speed has broken the previous record by 29 seconds. Also read | Watch | NASA mission to test out Armageddon scenario blasts off Plasma is getting flung out at 3000 km/second from the star which resembles AE Aquarii. According to astrophysicist Ingrid Pelisoli of the University of Warwick in the UK, ''the star will have completed several rotations in the short amount of time that people take to read about it, it is really incredible.'' ''The rotation is so fast that the white dwarf must have an above average mass just to stay together and not be torn apart.'' ''It is pulling material from its companion star due to its gravitational effect, but as that gets closer to the white dwarf the magnetic field starts to dominate. This type of gas is highly conducting and picks up a lot of speed from this process, which propels it away from the star and out into space,'' he added. Also see| Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? In their death throes, roughly 97 per cent of all stars become a smoldering stellar zombie called a white dwarf, one of the densest objects in the cosmos. Only two other types of objects, black holes and neutron stars, are more compact than white dwarfs. Stars with up to eight times the mass of our sun are thought to be destined to end up as a white dwarf. Such stars eventually burn up all of the hydrogen they use as fuel through nuclear fusion. At this point, gravity causes them to collapse and blow off their outer layers in a 'red giant' stage, eventually leaving a dense core that is a white dwarf. White dwarfs initially have high temperatures but gradually cool over time, lacking any new energy source. In appprocimately 5 billion years, our sun is expected to become a red giant and later a white dwarf. (With inputs from agencies)

Dead star breaks record for fastest known spin rate of white dwarf

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