共生R水瓶座
(原标题: Symbiotic R Aquarii)
2022-02-05
浏览次数: 18
变星水瓶座R实际上是一个相互作用的双星系统，两颗恒星似乎有着密切的共生关系。在这张天基光学/x射线合成图像的中心，它位于710光年之外。这个有趣的系统由一颗冷的红巨星和一颗热的、致密的白矮星组成，它们围绕着共同的质量中心相互运行。用双筒望远镜，你可以观察到水瓶座R在一年左右的时间里亮度的稳定变化。双星系统的可见光主要来自红巨星，它本身是一颗mira型长周期变星。但是，这颗低温巨星延伸的外壳中的物质被引力拉到更小、密度更大的白矮星表面，最终引发热核爆炸，将物质喷射到太空中。近几十年来，天文学家已经看到了这样的爆发。哈勃太空望远镜观察到的这些壮观的结构（红色和蓝色）中可以看到更古老的爆发的证据，这些结构跨越了近一光年。来自钱德拉x射线天文台的数据（紫色部分）显示了白矮星撞击周围物质时产生的冲击波产生的x射线辉光。
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Variable star R Aquarii is actually an interacting binary star system, two stars that seem to have a close symbiotic relationship. Centered in this space-based optical/x-ray composite image it lies about 710 light years away. The intriguing system consists of a cool red giant star and hot, dense white dwarf star in mutual orbit around their common center of mass. With binoculars you can watch as R Aquarii steadily changes its brightness over the course of a year or so. The binary system's visible light is dominated by the red giant, itself a Mira-type long period variable star. But material in the cool giant star's extended envelope is pulled by gravity onto the surface of the smaller, denser white dwarf, eventually triggering a thermonuclear explosion, blasting material into space. Astronomers have seen such outbursts over recent decades. Evidence for much older outbursts is seen in these spectacular structures spanning almost a light-year as observed by the Hubble Space Telescope (in red and blue). Data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (in purple) shows the X-ray glow from shock waves created as a jet from the white dwarf strikes surrounding material.