Indian scientists discover rare stellar system with one of shortest known orbital periodsNew Delhi, May 19 (UNI) Indian researchers have discovered a rare and unusually compact stellar system that could deepen scientific understanding of how stars evolve and interact under extreme conditions, the Ministry of Science and Technology statement said here on Tuesday.
The discovery marks the first confirmed detection of a blue straggler star hosting a brown dwarf companion in an exceptionally close binary system.
The research team found that the newly discovered binary system has an orbital period of only around 5.6 hours, making it one of the shortest-period stellar systems ever observed.
They proposed that the system originally consisted of an inner binary containing the brown dwarf and another star orbiting farther away.
The researchers said tidal forces later stabilised the orbit, creating the compact binary system detected today.
Indian scientists discover rare stellar system with one of shortest known orbital periods
New Delhi, May 19 (UNI) Indian researchers have discovered a rare and unusually compact stellar system that could deepen scientific understanding of how stars evolve and interact under extreme conditions, the Ministry of Science and Technology statement said here on Tuesday.
The discovery marks the first confirmed detection of a blue straggler star hosting a brown dwarf companion in an exceptionally close binary system.
The study was carried out by scientists from Gauhati University, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital and Italy’s INAF-Catania Astrophysical Observatory.
Blue straggler stars have long remained a mystery for astronomers because they appear brighter, hotter and younger than other stars in the same cluster, defying standard theories of stellar evolution.
The research team found that the newly discovered binary system has an orbital period of only around 5.6 hours, making it one of the shortest-period stellar systems ever observed.
Scientists said the compact nature of the system makes it particularly important for studying the behaviour and evolution of stars in tightly bound environments.
The companion object was identified as a brown dwarf with a mass nearly 0.056 times that of the Sun, making it the lightest companion ever detected around a blue straggler star.
Brown dwarfs are often described as objects that are too massive to be planets but not massive enough to sustain hydrogen fusion like normal stars.
Researchers said the system lies within the so-called “brown dwarf desert”, a region where such companions are considered extremely rare, making the discovery even more significant.
According to the scientists, the system likely evolved through a complex triple-star interaction. They proposed that the system originally consisted of an inner binary containing the brown dwarf and another star orbiting farther away.
Over time, gravitational interactions and mass transfer between the stars caused two of the objects to merge, eventually giving rise to the blue straggler star now observed.
The researchers said tidal forces later stabilised the orbit, creating the compact binary system detected today.
The study, published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, is expected to improve theoretical models related to stellar evolution, binary star systems and substellar objects. Scientists noted that such discoveries are crucial for interpreting observations made through advanced telescopes and future space missions.
The researchers also highlighted that the breakthrough demonstrates the scientific value of carefully analysing archival astronomical data, showing that significant discoveries can be achieved even without expensive new observational infrastructure. UNI SAS AAB
