Artist’s impression of star plagued by giant magnetic spot

Astronomers using ESO telescopes have discovered giant spots on the surface of extremely hot stars hidden in stellar clusters, called extreme horizontal branch stars. This image shows an artist’s impression of what one of these stars, and its giant whitish spot, might look like. The spot is bright, takes up a quarter of the star’s surface and is caused by magnetic fields. As the star rotates, the spot on its surface comes and goes, causing visible changes in brightness.

Credit:

ESO/L. Calçada, INAF-Padua/S. Zaggia

About the Image

Id:eso2009a
Type:Artwork
Release date:1 June 2020, 17:00
Related releases:eso2009
Size:5000 x 3000 px

About the Object

Type:Unspecified : Star : Grouping : Cluster
Category:Stars

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