Astronomers have recently uncovered two previously unknown “engulfing” stars.
Researchers at Princeton University (USA) have just discovered two stars that have remained hidden until now, despite being only 350 light-years away from Earth—a relatively close distance compared to many stars we already know.
2 stars have just been discovered 350 light-years away from Earth.
These two stars are named Kronos and Krios. The research team believes that these stars may have “consumed” up to 15 other planets in the past. They also assert that the signs indicating that Kronos and Krios have “swallowed” other planets are very clear.
“Even if our Sun were to consume our entire solar system, it wouldn’t appear as extraordinary as what we see in these stars,” said David Hogg of the Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA).
According to calculations by the research team at Princeton University, these two stars form an orbit around each other with a 10,000-year cycle. After analysis, the research team concluded that the materials, such as rocks, in these stars come from the planets they have “devoured.”
“All the elements that make up a planet have been enhanced on Kronos, while volatile elements have not increased as much. So, it gives us a strong argument that there have been cases of planet consumption on this planet, rather than something else,” said Semyeong Oh at Princeton University, the lead author of the study.
This discovery provides scientists worldwide with further evidence to better understand and precisely determine the formation and activities of the entire solar system around Earth.