A Three-Star Celestial System Breaks Long-Standing Astronomical Record
The latest buzz in the world of astronomy comes from a trio of celestial objects, discovered by NASA and a pair of dedicated citizen scientists. This intriguing system, named TIC 290061484, has recently made headlines for shattering an astronomical record that stood for nearly seven decades.
Fortunately, the alien invasion scene from Netflix's "3 Body Problem" can be put aside for now. This system is unlikely to foster intelligent life or any life at all. Notably, the outermost star in the trio has made history by breaking a previous record in the orbital period of a three-star system, which was set back in 1956.
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The international team of astronomers, led by NASA and including the two citizen scientists, studied this system using the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). TESS, launched in April 2018, is designed to find exoplanets by analyzing light patterns in different star systems. TIC 290061484, with its almost perfectly flat surface, made it easy for TESS to detect changes in light as the three stars passed in front of each other.
discovered in 1956, with the star taking 33.03 days to complete an orbit.
The discovery of TIC 290061484 was aided by the Visual Survey Group, a collective of volunteers who help professional astronomers sort through images. The group's pair of volunteer members, I.A. Terentev from Russia and H.M. Schwengeler from Switzerland, played a crucial role in detecting the large number of eclipses that indicated the presence of a 2+1 triple system.
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The orbits of the three stars in this system are so tight that they could fit within Mercury's orbit around the Sun. Despite this close proximity, the dynamics of the system appear stable, and the stars are not showing signs of destabilizing each other.
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However, the system is not destined for a long-lasting relationship. According to current estimates, the three stars will merge into a single neutron star in about 20 million years, resulting in a spectacular supernova explosion.
The discovery of TIC 290061484 offers valuable insights into the dynamics of stellar interactions and the potential for planetary formation within these systems. The unique characteristics and record-breaking orbit of this triple star system have also highlighted the power of collaborative and community-driven research in modern astronomy.
In the realm of future space exploration and technology, the discovery of TIC 290061484 poses intriguing questions for astronomers. This trio of celestial objects, comprising three stars, has shattered a 64-year-old astronomical record, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of stellar interactions. Moreover, the content in the article "Life Under Three Suns: The Real Physics Behind Netflix’s 3 Body Problem" reveals that despite its current stability, this system is likely to experience a cataclysmic event in the future, merging into a single neutron star.