Astronomers Unmask a Star That Was Pretending to Be a Supernova

Topic: Space

A team of astronomers led by Mojgan Aghakhanloo discovered that a star called AT 2016blu was not going to explode as a supernova. Instead, its outbursts were caused by interactions with a binary companion.

For over a decade, astronomers have been watching a distant star called AT 2016blu. It's about 29 million light-years away and is an enormous star, about 33 times as massive as the sun.

In 2012, astronomers discovered that AT 2016blu was a luminous blue variable star. This means it has periodic outbursts of energy. Since then, it has erupted 27 times. Many thought these eruptions were signs that the star was about to explode as a supernova. But new research shows that's not what's happening.

The lead author of the study, Mojgan Aghakhanloo from the University of Virginia, and her team used X-ray observations to figure out what was causing AT 2016blu's outbursts. They found that the star is actually part of a binary system with a compact companion. This companion is pulling material from the star, causing it to heat up and emit X-rays.

The researchers were able to schedule their observations in advance because they knew when the next outburst should be. They used the Chandra X-ray Observatory to detect an X-ray source during the predicted outburst. The observation was a collaboration between multiple astronomers at different telescopes, including over 30 amateur astronomers.

Why It Matters

This discovery is important for astronomers because it helps them understand how stars behave in binary systems. It also shows that astronomers can work together to make new discoveries and learn more about the universe.

Key Facts

• AT 2016blu is a luminous blue variable star located about 29 million light-years away.
• The star has erupted 27 times since its discovery in 2012.
• New research shows that AT 2016blu's outbursts are caused by interactions with a binary companion, not an impending supernova explosion.
• The Chandra X-ray Observatory was used to detect an X-ray source during the predicted outburst.
• Over 30 amateur astronomers contributed to the observation effort.

Key Terms

Luminous Blue Variable

A type of star that has periodic outbursts of energy

Binary System

Two stars orbiting around each other

Compact Companion

A small, dense object that is part of a binary system

Implications

This discovery is important for astronomers because it helps them understand how stars behave in binary systems. It also shows that astronomers can work together to make new discoveries and learn more about the universe.