Astronomers see white dwarf 'switch on and off' for first time

Phys.org ^ | October 18, 2021 | by Durham University

[NohSpinZone]

Astronomers have used a planet-hunting satellite to see a white dwarf abruptly switching on and off for the first time.

The researchers led by Durham University, UK, used NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to observe the unique phenomenon.

White dwarfs are what most stars become after they have burned off the hydrogen that fuels them. They are approximately the size of the Earth, but have a mass closer to that of the Sun.

The white dwarf observed by the team is known to be accreting, or feeding, from an orbiting companion star.

With the new observations astronomers saw it lose brightness in 30 minutes, a process only previously seen to occur in accreting white dwarfs over a period of several days to months.

The brightness of an accreting white dwarf is affected by the amount of surrounding material it feeds on so the researchers say something is interfering with its food supply.

[Rebelbase]

It's lame but I couldn't help myself.

[DannyTN]

[17th Miss Regt]

...so the researchers say something is interfering with its food supply.

The trucks are not running and there are no workers in the warehouses.

[BiteYourSelf]

Clap on clap clap clap off clap clap,the clapper.😁

[BiteYourSelf]

Yah beat me to it.😂

[SunkenCiv]

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