The authors identify two distinct sequences of blue straggler stars in the globular cluster NGC 392. They hypothesize that one branch is formed via stellar mergers and the other is binary stars undergoing mass transfer. This is the second globular cluster found to possess this double sequence.
Recently, a population of short (a few micro-seconds) and energetic radio bursts were identified at cosmological distances. Today’s paper hypothesizes that these “Fast Radio Bursts” may be created in the final moments of a neutron star merger.
The authors of this article observe a sudden slowing in the rotation rate of a known magnetar. Although hundreds of glitches (a sudden increase in rotation rate) have been observed in radio pulsars and magnetars, this is the first direct evidence for an anti-glitch.
Scientists propose way in which we could observe the envelope being ejected from binaries going through a common envelope phase. And their predictions match a class of objects which have already been observed.
Astrobites will be Live Blogging from the 221st Meeting of the American Astronomical Society this week in Long Beach!
