Scientists have discovered for the first time a star with 4.3 million kilometres of fiery tsunamis running across its surface

By: Maksim Panasovskiy | 18.08.2023, 22:53
Scientists have discovered for the first time a star with 4.3 million kilometres of fiery tsunamis running across its surface

Astronomers were able to find a star in the Universe, on which pass tsunamis, the height of which exceeds the diameter of the Sun more than three times.

Here's What We Know

30 years ago, scientists discovered the system MACHO 80.7443.1718, which consists of two stars. Now it has become known that huge tsunamis are travelling across the surface of the main star.

The system is nicknamed heartbreak because of the pulsating nature of the glow. Existing theories suggest that in double systems, the change in brightness is no more than 0.1 per cent. However, in MACHO 80.7443.1718, this figure reaches 20%.

The system's big star is 35 times more massive than the Sun. Modelling has shown that the approach of a smaller star to it causes giant tidal waves. Their height can exceed 4.3 million kilometres, which is about three times the diameter of the Sun (1.39 million kilometres).

Source: Science Alert