binary stars
Each Planetary Nebula is Unique. Why Do They Look So Different?
When it comes to cosmic eye candy, planetary nebulae are at the top of the candy bowl. Like fingerprints—or maybe…
These Stars are Already Merging, but Their Future Will Be Catastrophic
Two stars are in the process of merging, but they will become black holes before they do.
Binary Dwarf Stars Found Orbiting Each Other Every 20 Hours. They Were Once Almost Touching
A team of astrophysicists has discovered a binary pair of ultra-cool dwarfs so close together that they look like a…
Trading Spaces: How Swapping Stars Create Hot Jupiters
Star clusters tend to host more hot Jupiters than average, but why? A team of astronomers have proposed a new…
Two Stars Orbiting Each Other Every 51 Minutes. This Can’t End Well
We don't have to worry too much about our Sun. It can burn our skin, and it can emit potent…
Binary Stars Live Complicated Lives, Especially Near the End
We know what will happen to our Sun. It'll follow the same path other stars of its ilk follow. It'll…
Astronomers Have a New Way to Find Exoplanets in Cataclysmic Binary Systems
Have you heard of LU Camelopardalis, QZ Serpentis, V1007 Herculis and BK Lyncis? No, they're not members of a boy…
Hubble Sees a Surviving Companion Star After its Partner Went Supernova
When stars die they’re often not alone, and for the first time astronomers have found a companion to a supernova,…
Slimmed Down Red Giants Had Their Mass Stolen By a Companion Star
Millions of stars that can grow up to 620 million miles in diameter, known as 'red giants,' exist in our…
Planets Have Just Started to Form in This Binary System
Astronomers have watched the young binary star system SVS 13 for decades. Astronomers don't know much about how planets form…