Binary White Dwarf Stars (IMAGE)

Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Binary White Dwarf Stars

Caption

Two white dwarfs have been discovered on the brink of a merger. In just 900,000 years, material will start to stream from one star to the other (as shown in this artist's conception), beginning the process that may end with a spectacular supernova explosion. Watching these stars fall in will allow astronomers to test Einstein's theory of general relativity as well as the origin of a special class of supernovae.

Credit

David A. Aguilar (CfA)

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