If, by any chance, you needed more confirmation that the Universe is a lot weirder than we could ever fathom, get a load of this: scientists found an unusual white dwarf star that consists of two sides. What do we mean by this? Simple: there’s mostly hydrogen on one side and helium on the other part of the star.
Ilaria Caiazzo, who’s a postdoctoral scholar at Caltech, explained:
The surface of the white dwarf completely changes from one side to the other,
When I show the observations to people, they are blown away.
Amidst the vast cosmic tapestry, the enigmatic celestial object in question reveals itself as a newfound white dwarf, donning the evocative moniker “Janus.” This can be considered an homage to the ancient Roman deity of transitions and duality. This beguiling entity was unveiled to the inquisitive gaze of astronomers through the vigilant eyes of the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), meaning a cutting-edge instrument ceaselessly surveying the heavens from its vantage point at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory, nestled serenely near the sun-kissed landscapes of San Diego.
Caiazzo also explained:
Magnetic fields around cosmic bodies tend to be asymmetric, or stronger on one side,
Magnetic fields can prevent the mixing of materials. So, if the magnetic field is stronger on one side, then that side would have less mixing and thus more hydrogen.
Within the boundless expanse of the Universe, a mind-boggling revelation awaits: a seemingly infinite array of stellar beacons graces the cosmos, as astronomers estimate that they number approximately 200 billion trillion. To grasp the sheer magnitude of this cosmic congregation, one might fathom the awe-inspiring figure of 200 sextillions. These resplendent stars are scattered like radiant gems across the cosmic canvas, imbuing the Universe with their radiant brilliance, each a celestial storyteller narrating its journey through the cosmic seas.
