The Shocking Behavior of a Speedy Star

[Waspie_Dwarf]

The Shocking Behavior of a Speedy Star

Roguish runaway stars can have a big impact on their surroundings as they plunge through the Milky Way galaxy. Their high-speed encounters shock the galaxy, creating arcs, as seen in this newly released image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

In this case, the speedster star is known as Kappa Cassiopeiae, or HD 2905 to astronomers. It is a massive, hot supergiant moving at around 2.5 million mph relative to its neighbors (1,100 kilometers per second). But what really makes the star stand out in this image is the surrounding, streaky red glow of material in its path. Such structures are called bow shocks, and they can often be seen in front of the fastest, most massive stars in the galaxy.

Source

[Merc14]

I had no idea such things even existed. Thanks! Why would one star travel faster than another, especially a star as massive as this one? Are the a lot of these fast stars and do they often collide with slower moving stars? What effect would a star as massive as this ine have on a solar system it crosses paths with?? What a nightmare to hage a massive star on a collision course with your home system. Guess I have some studying to do.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Merc14

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Why would one star travel faster than another, especially a star as massive as this one?

That would depend. Some may have been ejected from binary systems, others may have gravitational interacted with another, unrelated star.

Are the a lot of these fast stars and do they often collide with slower moving stars?

Define "a lot". In a galaxy which contains between 100 billion and 400 billion stars there are bound to be a few.

As for collisions, they will be rare. Space is very big and stars are (comparatively) very small. Collisions are unlikely. Most collisions between stars are between members of binary systems and not a result of random impacts.

What effect would a star as massive as this ine have on a solar system it crosses paths with??

Again it depends. If it passes close enough it could disrupt the orbits of planets. Some could spiral into their sun, others be ejected to become rouge planets.

A much more likely scenario is that it will pass at a greater distance where it won't disrupt the orbits of the planets, but will disrupt the Oort Cloud. This would eject a huge number of comets, but would also send many inwards to become comets.

[MissJatti]

so Kappa Cassiopeiae is doing 1,100 kilometers per seconds? which is 66,000 per minute 396,0000 per hour

damn im so good in maths

[Waspie_Dwarf]

damn im so good in maths

Congratulations on managing to do some very, VERY basic arithmetic.

You will have to be capable of doing more than multiplying by 60 before you can claim to be even average at maths.

Oh and by the way, your second result is wrong, it should be 3,960,000 Km/h

Edited February 21, 2014 by Waspie_Dwarf

[Merc14]

That would depend. Some may have been ejected from binary systems, others may have gravitational interacted with another, unrelated star.

Define "a lot". In a galaxy which contains between 100 billion and 400 billion stars there are bound to be a few.

As for collisions, they will be rare. Space is very big and stars are (comparatively) very small. Collisions are unlikely. Most collisions between stars are between members of binary systems and not a result of random impacts.

Again it depends. If it passes close enough it could disrupt the orbits of planets. Some could spiral into their sun, others be ejected to become rouge planets.

A much more likely scenario is that it will pass at a greater distance where it won't disrupt the orbits of the planets, but will disrupt the Oort Cloud. This would eject a huge number of comets, but would also send many inwards to become comets.

I didn't even consider tehe OORT cloud interaction.