Astronomers have discovered an anomalous white dwarf that survived supernova explosion and rushes through the milky Way. About it reported in a press release on EurekAlert!.
Found the star SDSS J1240+6710 is characterized by an unusual atmospheric composition, which indicates that the heavenly body was part of the dual system. The object contains neither hydrogen nor helium and is composed of oxygen, neon, magnesium and silicon. Scientists have identified carbon, sodium and aluminium, formed in the first thermonuclear reactions in supernovae. However, the lack of iron has allowed scientists to assume that SDSS J1240+6710 was only partially passed the stage of a supernova type Ia.
White dwarf moves at a speed of 900 kilometers per hour and has a sufficiently small mass for objects of their class only 40 percent of the mass of the Sun. The star was sharply to lose much of its substance, while its companion sped away in the opposite direction.
Sne Ia represent thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf. In binary systems white dwarfs are able to drag on the matter from the companion star, however, upon reaching a certain mass they begin to collapse into a neutron star, which leads to the explosion.
