A new study recently published on Astronomy & Astrophysics describes a possibly new kind of star: One that is born in an occurrence usually linked to destructio, instead of a creation or also known in the field of astronomy as "the merger of two white dwarfs."
According to GIZMODO Media, the research, co-authored by Lidia Oskinova, an astronomer from the University of Potsdam, contributes to the insight of his system also called IRAS 00500+6713. The same "caught the attention of astronomers in 2019."
Certainly, the said media report specifies that the unusual astronomic occurrence is offering astronomers fresh evidence of possible scenarios where "supernova-like explosions" are generated minus totally "destroying the exploding object."
In an email, UC Santa Cruz's theoretical astrophysicist Josiah Schwab, who is not involved with this new research, explained that "white dwarfs are dense, dried up remnants of dead Sun-like stars."
Wife dwarfs in pairs, he added, frequently come together, "resulting in a large stellar explosion," also identified as a type 1a supernova.
IRAS 00500+6713
The said occurrence was the case for IRAS 00500+6713. The explosion was not strong enough to destroy its system. The new study suggests that the explosion led to the formation of an unidentified type of celestial object. IRAS 00500+6713 and its formation is unusual this way.
It comprises an ultra-hot central star, called J005311, which a nebula packed with hot gas and warm dust surrounding it.
Furthermore, the star consists of an abundance of carbon and oxygen, although its stellar winds' speed is off the charts, timed in at 10,000 miles per second.
In an email, Oskinova also said no other subject like this has ever been observed in the past. Certainly, this object, which was seen in infrared, appeared "way too luminous to be a white dwarf," stimulating the new study.
Nebula Shining Brightly in X-Rays
Through the use of the XMM-Newton space telescope of the European Space Agency, Oskinova, together with her colleagues, noticed that the nebula is shining brightly in X-rays and has a huge amount of the element neon.
Their X-ray observations, Oskinava explained, made it possible to identify the nebula's chemical composition and strongly improved their knowledge of the central star's chemical composition.
Specifically, the astronomer continued, they discovered that the system comprises a great amount of neon, silicon, and sulfur.
More so, X-ray observations showed, too, that the nebula is filled with an extremely hot gas at the "temperature of a few million degrees," and the central star is a source of X-ray emission, as well.
Theoretical modeling proposes that this object is the outcome of two white dwarfs that come together. The heavier white dwarf pulled away the matter from the lighter companion, ultimately activating a supernova explosion, although one very weak to completely destroy the system.
Simultaneously though, such an explosion was still robust enough to emit substantial amounts of material. Oskinova and her team believe the nebula rich in neon is that ejected material and that "a cohesive object managed to survive" the weak supernova, enabling it to develop into the star seen currently-at least, according to this scenario presented.
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