Twinkle Big Star

(Public Domain)

People who are used to singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” might be in for a big surprise.

It turns out that not all stars exhibit a double twinkle.  Astronomers have now discovered that HD74423 is an anomaly.  Because it “appears to pulse on only one side,” this

teardrop-shaped star is lacking another twinkle.

And it’s not a little star, either.  HD74423 is much larger than the Sun.  But it's accompanied by a smaller “red dwarf,” and that little one’s gravitational pull accounts for Single Twinkle’s teardrop shape. 

Resources

https://newatlas.com/space/teardrop-shaped-star-pulsates-one-side-hd74423/

Copyright March 13, 2020 by Linda Van Slyke    All Rights Reserved