Hubble image archive
Formation of a Fast-Rotating Star
This diagram shows one theory for the creation of the fastest spinning star found to date. The more massive star was once a member of a binary pair. Its rapidly aging companion star evolves and expands, spilling material onto the less evolved star. The star robbed angular momentu...
- Date
- Jan 1, 2011
- Mission
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Archive ID
- hubblesite-images-2011-39-2937-image
This diagram shows one theory for the creation of the fastest spinning star found to date. The more massive star was once a member of a binary pair. Its rapidly aging companion star evolves and expands, spilling material onto the less evolved star. The star robbed angular momentum from the donor star and spun up to a rotation speed of 1 million miles per hour. The donor star explodes as a supernova and propelled the surviving star away.
Credits
NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI)
Downloads
Source
Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.
View on NASA.gov