Astronomers have discovered a rare, high-mass compact binary star system just 150 light years away from Earth. The two spiraling stars are on a collision course to explode as a type 1a supernova, outshining the moon by up to 10 times in the night sky. This discovery confirms theoretical predictions and sheds new light on the origin of these cosmic explosions.
The binary system consists of two white dwarfs, which are expected to collide and trigger a massive explosion. The heavier white dwarf accumulates material from its partner, leading to an accumulation of mass that causes the star (or both stars) to explode. This phenomenon is known as a type 1a supernova.
Lead researcher James Munday described the discovery as “exciting” and said it confirms long-held expectations of a local and massive double white dwarf binary. The system has been found on the Milky Way’s doorstep, with the two stars separated by just 1/60th of the Earth-sun distance.
The mass-gaining dwarf detonates first, causing its core to explode second, resulting in multiple explosions through a quadruple detonation process. This event will completely destroy the entire system, releasing energy levels a thousand trillion times that of the most powerful nuclear bomb.
While the supernova is not imminent, occurring in 23 billion years, it highlights the significance of this discovery. The binary system has been confirmed to be the heaviest of its type ever recorded, with a combined mass of 1.56 times that of the sun.
This finding contributes to our understanding of type 1a supernovae and may shed light on their origin in the future. Dr. Ingrid Pelisoli noted that this discovery suggests these systems may be more common than previously thought, making further research necessary to uncover their secrets.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-04-astronomers-doomed-pair-spiraling-stars.html