Key Takeaways
1. WOH G64 is a dying red supergiant star located about 160,000 light-years from Earth in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
2. The star has an unusual long and uneven dust cocoon, differing from the typical smooth dust shells of red supergiants.
3. WOH G64 has created a thick layer of hot, iron-rich silicate dust, which has caused it to dim in brightness over the past decade.
4. There is a possibility of a companion star affecting WOH G64’s dimming and uneven shape, but further research is needed.
5. The findings suggest that stars nearing their end may produce dust bursts suddenly rather than losing mass gradually.
Stars may seem like they are always there in the night sky, but they do have an end. Astronomers have seen a star as it is dying, and it’s located outside our galaxy. The star in question is WOH G64, a red supergiant found in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which is about 160,000 light-years from Earth. The image of this star was made using the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) at the European Southern Observatory.
Surprising Findings
The image of WOH G64 is not just rare, but also brings unexpected findings for the astronomers. Usually, red supergiants have a smooth, spherical dust shell around them. But WOH G64 has a long, uneven cocoon that covers it. The clarity of the image allows scientists to take a closer look at the envelope of dust surrounding the star.
This new discovery goes against what was traditionally believed about stars losing mass before they explode as supernovae. The research team believes that WOH G64 has created a thick new layer of hot, iron-rich silicate dust. This change has notably dimmed the star’s brightness in the near-infrared spectrum over the past ten years.
The Mystery of a Companion Star
Another intriguing aspect of WOH G64 is the potential existence of a companion star, which hasn’t been found yet. This idea comes from observing the star’s unusual dimming and uneven shape. However, the initial results from studying the dust structure need more investigation before dismissing other possibilities.
WOH G64 has become a key example of the wild final moments in a star’s life cycle. The findings indicate that stars nearing their end might produce dust bursts suddenly instead of losing mass in a slow and even manner.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
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