ALMA Catches Beautiful Outcome of Stellar Fight
ALMA has spotted a peculiar cloud of gas enveloping two stars that was formed after a stellar ‘fight’.
One star puffed out as it became a red giant and engulfed the smaller star.
As a result, this star spiralled in towards the red giant’s core…
...provoking it into scattering its outer layers and leaving its core exposed.
Jets, fuelled by ejected material, blasted through the layers, adding to the complexity of the gas cloud.
This stellar fight can help astronomers understand the final evolution of stars like our Sun…
...which will also become a red giant in a few billion years.
Transcription by ESO; translation by —