Today’s undergraduate research post features a student who measures the white dwarf mass-radius relation using thousands of stars and a neat effect predicted by general relativity
For the first time ever, a planet has been found orbiting a white dwarf. Check out today’s Astrobite to learn more!
How Do Planetary Nebulae Influence the Evolution of Type Ia Supernovae?
Meet our neighbor, the closest known extremely low-mass white dwarf.
The Zwicky Transient Factory (ZTF) observes the entire northern sky and collects data on as many stars as possible. Combing through the light curves of 20 million stars with periodic changes in brightness, the authors of today’s paper found a hidden gem called ZTF J1539+5027, an eclipsing white dwarf binary with an orbital period of only 6.91 minutes.
A previously unexplained branch of cooling white dwarfs is likely a traffic jam caused by an 8 billion year delay in cooling. A heavy isotope of neon settling down into the core of the star could be the source.