The digestion process has its own share of mysteries. The temperature of the smaller but denser star has soared to about 90,000F, or nine times the temperature of the Sun. Scientists believe it's so hot because it's starting to swallow the larger star, but none of the X-rays associated with this accretion process are present. Lead study author Kevin Burdge believed this could be due to larger-than-usual accretion spots that emit ultraviolet and visible light instead of X-rays.
To top it off, the binary is just one of the few identified sources ofgravitational waves. While the behavior won't be studied particularly closely until Europe's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) launches in 2034, it's evident that there's a lo more to learn. As it is, astronomers expected further study to reveal more about how these binary systems work, not to mention other star systems with initially baffling characteristics.
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