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Credit & Copyright: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/R.
Montez et al.; Optical: Data: NASA/ESA/STScI,
Processing: Judy Schmidt (CC BY-NC-SA)
Explanation:
Variable star R Aquarii
is actually an interacting binary star system,
two stars that
seem to have a close symbiotic relationship.
Centered in this
space-based optical/x-ray
composite image it lies about 710 light years away.
The intriguing system consists of a cool
red giant star
and hot, dense
white dwarf
star
in mutual orbit around their common center of mass.
With binoculars you can watch as R Aquarii
steadily changes its brightness over the course of a year or so.
The binary system's visible light is dominated by the red giant,
itself a Mira-type long period
variable star.
But material in the cool giant star's extended envelope
is pulled by gravity
onto the surface of the smaller, denser white dwarf,
eventually triggering
a thermonuclear explosion, blasting material into space.
Astronomers have seen such outbursts over recent decades.
Evidence for much older outbursts is seen in
these
spectacular structures
spanning almost a light-year as
observed by the Hubble Space Telescope (in red and blue).
Data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (in purple) shows
the X-ray glow from shock waves created as a jet from the white dwarf
strikes surrounding material.
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Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: symbiotic star
Publications with words: symbiotic star
See also: