3 replies to this topic

[schadeaux]

(SPACE.com) -- Scientists have obtained a rare glimpse of the chaotic environment just miles from the surface of an explosive corpse of a star that is slowly consuming its companion.

An eruption from the neutron star illuminated material flowing onto it, providing lucky astronomers with an unprecedented peek at the activity near the surface of the ultra-dense object. The eruption poured out more energy in three hours than the Sun does in a century.


An artist rendering shows the neutron star
at left embedded in a disk of material it is
sucking from the normal star at right.

Artist rendering shows the neutron star, which
is ultra-dense at the beginning of the explosion.

At the height of the explosion, the rendering
shows the inner part of the disk-like collection
of gases being pushed outward.

Another rendering shows how the explosion
engulfed the neighboring star, devouring it as it
began orbiting the neutron.

Full article at CNN

[stillcrazy]

That is a trip.  But I will admit I thought it was something different.

[geeohn]

Those are beautiful star but yet they are destructive. Nice to know they actually caught it on film.

Edited by geeohn, 29 February 2004 - 02:47 AM.

[Gazz]

I am stunned everytime I see images
like these.

But what is really impressive is that
these are works of art, based on the
known data and facts.

What I REALLY would like to know is
just who are these artists?

how do they create these awesome images?

why is it we never see credit given to
these artists?

I think who ever they are the should be
given credit for these images.

Gazz