Exciting! A contact binary is spinning faster and faster as the two stars are approaching a merger. The actual merge is predicted for 2022 +/- a couple of years. If the prediction is correct, we’ll probably get more accurate estimates as we get closer to the event. The binary star system likely will brighten from about 12th magnitude currently (too dim to be seen by eye) to an easily-visible star in Cygnus.
Update: I just noticed that my grad school friend Chip Kobulnicky is one of the collaborators on this project. Cool!
Originally shared by EarthSky
Star predicted to explode in 2022 http://bit.ly/2i06CyL
When and if 2 stars in the KIC 9832227 binary system merge – as predicted – they’ll increase in brightness 10 thousandfold, temporarily becoming a bright star in Earth’s sky.
Interesting….
*Let’s send a space ship to this event so it can be recorded for the world to see!
Chris…has this been recorded like this Before? I pray that we will be able to see it happen, how exciting that would be. I am 73 so I can keep my wish going for a while. Thank you for sharing your work.
What is their estimated age?
Nancy E. Perrine not my work, just resharing some news. The article says astronomers caught a previous one after it happened, and looking back at historical images they think the current one will follow the same evolution. Not 100% certain, but pretty exciting if it turns out.
Chris Dolan …hi Chris, thank you so much for answering my question about the coming Nova. I love seeing the stars and trying to learn something. Talk to you later…
Hi Chris am interested a lot in that complicated science but what limits me in the setting of my country Uganda. wish you the best in new findings.
Thankyou.
Modo Sam.
Been hearing about this all over social the last few days, pretty cool. Looking forward to 2022
Will this auspicious event be visible in India??
Diptoneel De good question. my (limited) understanding is that the merger will cause a brightening that will last a long time. So it should be visible to nearly everyone on the planet, except maybe for people very deep the southern hemisphere
Thanks sir..I’m eagerly waiting to witness the prospect
Hi Chris… Weldone. Keep up the good work