V745 SCO

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Object Details

Description
V745 Sco is a binary star system that consists of a red giant star and a white dwarf locked together by gravity. These two stellar objects orbit so closely around one another that the outer layers of the red giant are pulled away by the intense gravitational force of the white dwarf. This material gradually falls onto the surface of the white dwarf. Over time, enough material may accumulate on the white dwarf to trigger a colossal thermonuclear explosion, causing a dramatic brightening of the binary called a nova.
Description Credit: INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo/ S.Orlando & NASA/CXC/SAO/A.Jubett et al.
Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Record ID
dpo_3d_200123
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
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