“This was completely unexpected.”
Stars are essentially large fiery balls of plasma, which is often referred to as the “fourth state of matter” as it forms when gas is heated into a soup of positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons.
The star’s magnetic field is so strong it appears to have “frozen” its surface into a solid outer crust, a press statement reveals.
Naeblys/iStock.
Now, though, an international group of astronomers has observed a star with a solid outer layer for the first time, casting doubt on widely held preconceptions about the cosmic giants lighting the night sky.
Comments are closed.