Why Are Two Stars Leaving Our Galaxy?

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SUMMARY

Two hypervelocity stars are exiting our galaxy at significant speeds, a phenomenon that has sparked discussion among astrophysics enthusiasts. The conversation highlights that unlike comets, these stars do not leave a fiery tail; instead, any tail-like effect would be due to interactions with nearby O/B stars' radiation pressure and stellar winds. The discussion clarifies that while a comet's tail is formed by solar radiation and wind, a hypervelocity star's movement may only create a shadow in the surrounding stellar wind nebula.

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  • Understanding of hypervelocity stars and their characteristics
  • Knowledge of O/B stars and their stellar winds
  • Familiarity with the concept of radiation pressure in astrophysics
  • Basic comprehension of cometary structures and tails
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  • Research the dynamics of hypervelocity stars and their formation mechanisms
  • Explore the properties and behaviors of O/B stars in stellar wind interactions
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Astronomy enthusiasts, astrophysicists, and students studying stellar dynamics and the behavior of celestial objects in galactic environments.

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Does a hypervelocity star leave a fiery trail, like a comet's dust tail?
 
There is no reason for a star of any velocity to "leave a fiery tail".

A comet's tail is produced by the radiation pressure (dust tail) and solar wind/magnetic field (ion tail) coming from the Sun.

If a star is moving close by another very powerful O/B star then the radiation pressure and possible stellar wind emanating from that could act of the former's corona and produce some sort of tail, however ithe passing star is more likely to produce a shadow in the O/B stellar wind nebula, similar to the Cone nebula.

Garth
 

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