A contact binary consists of two stars that orbit each other so close that they touch. If seen from a planet in orbit, the united suns would remember a bright object in the form of a peanut. Because they are so close, the two stars continuously eclipse each other, causing the brightness we see to vary. This star and two other fast spinning giants stand out because most of the giant stars spin slowly. But when a contact binary merges, the angular momentum of the orbiting stars accelerates the spin of the fused star, causing a unique and influential stellar phenomenon in the present of humanity and future generations.
Comments