Astronomers have identified an uncommon duo of white dwarfs fated for detonation as a dazzling supernova within our celestial vicinity. This finding is elaborately outlined in a study. study released on Friday in the journal Nature Astronomy .
White dwarfs Are compact remnants left behind after dying stars deplete their nuclear fuel; if they accumulate enough mass, their own gravitational pull can trigger an explosion known as a "Type Ia supernova." Scientists believe that Type Ia supernovae occur due to two white dwarfs circling each other within a binary star system, leading to one dwarf engulfing the other.
The astronomers' finding represents the initial detection of this type of 1a supernova-generating binary system, located approximately 150 light-years from our planet—a distance that is relatively near within the cosmic scale. Its closeness suggests "that numerous similar systems might be easily overlooked but could potentially be detected even at greater distances," James Munday , the primary author of the study and a researcher at the University of Warwick, shares ScienceAlert 's Michelle Starr.
"For many years, the existence of a nearby and substantial double white dwarf binary system had been expected. So, when I initially detected this system with an exceptionally high combined mass close to home, I became instantly enthusiastic," Munday notes additionally. statement .
Munday notes that he understood the importance of this finding once they determined that the separation between the two white dwarfs was only about 1/60th the distance from the Earth to the Sun during their analysis. Additional studies further indicated that this binary star system is the most massive ever documented by researchers, weighing approximately 1.56 solar masses. The close proximity alone suggested an inevitable end for these stars; however, their cumulative mass undoubtedly ensured such a conclusion.
"[These dwarf planets] are roughly the same size as our planet Earth. One has a diameter approximately 20% bigger, and the other is about 50% larger. This indicates their incredibly high density. Imagine compressing the Sun down to the scale of Earth. When these objects were normal stars, their masses likely ranged from three to four times that of the Sun," explained the study’s co-author and University of Warwick astrophysicist. Ingrid Pelisoli tells Reuters ' Will Dunham.
Currently, these white dwarfs revolve around one another, taking more than 14 hours for a single rotation. Eventually, as they move closer together, their orbital period will shorten drastically to between 30 and 40 seconds. The larger of the two white dwarfs will begin drawing material from the smaller companion, leading to a cataclysmic event known as a "Type Ia" supernova characterized by four distinct detonations.
As the expanding white dwarf accumulates more matter, it will initially ignite at the surface level before experiencing a blast within its core. This ignition will eject materials towards another white dwarf, setting off a similar destructive process. According to the declaration, this supernova’s force will be "one quadrillion trillion" times stronger than the mightiest known nuclear weapon, with the entire event lasting approximately four seconds.
The researchers suggest in the study that the binary system will undergo a dynamic explosion via a double detonation, which will obliterate both stars right before their merger. They further state in the press release that this supernova will shine about ten times more brightly than the full moon does at night. These type 1a supernovae’s uniform luminosity holds great significance for scientists, enabling them to serve as "standard candles" for gauging cosmic distances.
Even though the system is close to Earth, the researchers say that this event poses no threat to us. Considering their prediction that the explosion will occur approximately 23 billion years from now, we won’t be here to witness it. To put this timeframe into perspective, The Earth has existed for approximately 4.5 billion years. , and the whole universe is 13.7 billion years old In reality, Earth may not still exist to see this event, and the Sun could have already transformed into a white dwarf.
"Nevertheless," writes Stephen Luntz for IFL Science Maybe some extraterrestrials on another planet will appreciate the view.