VLT image of a dead star creating a shock wave as it moves through space (IMAGE)

ESO

VLT image of a dead star creating a shock wave as it moves through space

Caption

The central square image, taken with the MUSE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, shows shock waves around the dead star RXJ0528+2838. When a star moves through space it can push away nearby material creating a so-called bow shock, which in this image is glowing in red, green and blue. The colours represent hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, respectively. These shocks are usually produced by a strong outflow expelled from the star. However, in the case of RXJ0528+2838 –– a white dwarf with a Sun-like companion –– astronomers discovered that the shock wave can’t be explained by any known mechanism. Some hidden energy source, perhaps magnetic fields, could be the answer to this mystery.

Credit

ESO/K. Ilkiewicz and S. Scaringi et al. Background: PanSTARRS

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CC BY

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