An artist's representation of BP Piscium, the cannibalistic star
<http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1009/15BPPsc/bp.jpg>
Around four years ago, scientists at NASA discovered that a
star called BP Piscium has likely engulfed another star, or perhaps, a very
large planet. They called this process “Stellar Cannibalism”.
BP Piscium is similar to our Sun, but it appears to be much
older and more evolved, with a dusty and gaseous disk surrounding it.
Scientists recently measured BP Piscium having a pair of jets that are light
years in length blasting out of the star. The scientists believe that these
jets (and the disk around the star) are clues that suggest the engulfment of a
star/planet.
Theoretically, scientists believe that once a star runs out
of nuclear fuel, they will expand and shed their outer layers. In this process,
nearby stars and planets can get engulfed by the expanding star. Stars like
these are called red giant stars.
However, scientists are not exactly sure how old BP Piscium
is. The star is not located near any star-forming cloud, and there doesn’t seem
to be any young stars near it. Additionally, BP Piscium’s atmosphere contains
only a small amount of lithium, suggesting that the star is old. Also, the fact
that the star has weak surface gravity suggests that BP Piscium is an old, red
giant star.
This recent observation by the scientists made me think:
when will our Sun become old enough to become a red giant star that will expand
and engulf its surroundings (us!)? From BP Piscium, we learned that a star can
live quietly, without drama, for billions of years, until it runs out of
nuclear fuel. It is therefore important, I believe, that scientists continue
their research in this field to better understand cannibalizing stars like BP
Piscium, or even others. It would be beneficial if we can know the age and
history of these stars so that we can compare the data to our Sun’s. Perhaps,
X-ray observations or X-ray emissions could be used to estimate the age of
these stars. But whatever method the scientists ultimately use, it is important
to ensure the accuracy of their data, so that the data can be used to benefit
others.
Sources:
http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/10_releases/press_091410.html
http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1009/15BPPsc/
http://www.rit.edu/news/story.php?id=47791
When I first saw your post I was like no way, then I looked into it even further and I was like no way. This is a really cool topic, and something that after I thought about it, was totally believable that it is occurring. The thought of stars eating other celestial bodies to help refuel themselves is an astounding but definitely interesting idea. I agree that scientists should continue to look into BP Piscium because it could definitely give us an idea of what is to come of our solar system. This is a really cool thing that scientists have found.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that stars could "eat" other stars! I think it's really interesting that our stars behave almost like a living being by using other bodies of energy to maintain their own. I also think that it's really interesting that science never fails to boggle even the smartest of minds. In this case, scientists cannot say BP Piscium's age for sure. Although BP Piscium resembles other red giants in the sense that it is running out of nuclear fuel and has weak surface gravity, the situation it is in isn't like other stars (no young stars around it, etc.). This proves yet again that even though we develop theories that seem to fit all previously gathered data, all it takes is one data point to force us to reassess our conclusions. This could be very valuable in addressing the situation with our own Sun, and it would be pretty cool to know how scientists will apply this discovery with BP Piscium to our own star.
ReplyDeleteLOL, this is too funny. How can stars eat other stars? I literally laughed out loud when I saw this comment, but it's actually really really interesting thinking stars as "alive" and my consuming other stars for energy!
ReplyDeleteI would be interesting to predict what is going to happen with our star, and unfortunately, none of us will be able to see what is going to happen. I really liked your article about BP Piscium, and I am going to research and read more about it now!
I find it weird, but also am fascinated by the fact that something the size of a star can be engulfed. It's also very scary to think that the Sun could some day absorb us. Although it obviously would not occur during our lifetimes, it is something to think about for future generations to come.
ReplyDelete