For the first time, researchers have discovered a star that has completely lost its shell. This is stated in an article published in a recent issue of the journal Nature Astronomy.
Stars consist of nuclei, inside which thermonuclear reactions take place, and outer shells. Theories admit that the luminaries may lose them due to various factors. However, until recently, researchers have not found such objects.
Everything changed after a recent series of observations, the objects of which became the double γ Columbae system. It is located at a distance of 870 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation of the same name. Previously, it was believed that its main component is a pulsating subgiant of spectral class B. However, during the analysis of its spectrum, astronomers found that it corresponds to a stellar core that has completely lost its shell.
According to the researchers, the original mass of γ Columbae was 12 times the mass of the Sun. However, in the course of some event, it lost its shell. All that remains of the star is a pulsating core, which has a mass of only five solar masses. A possible culprit for this is the companion γ Columbae.
As the authors of the study note, they were lucky. Such an object cannot exist as a bare core for too long. According to some, this period is only 10 thousand years, which is literally a blink by astronomical standards. In addition, it seems that γ Columbae has already exhausted its reserves of thermonuclear fuel and will end its existence in a supernova outbreak in the near future.
According to https://phys.org
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