Ars Technica: AR Scorpii was originally classified as a variable M-class star whose brightness varies over a period of 3.5 hours. However, an archive of images revealed additional variability beyond the originally observed periodicity. The star’s maximum brightness varied by up to a factor of four. A more careful observation of the star revealed that the star’s light alternated between being red-shifted and being blue-shifted over the same 3.5-hour period. The only explanation is the presence of a closely orbiting body roughly one-third as massive as the Sun—a white dwarf. The binary system also produces significantly more IR and radio emissions than would normally be expected. The extra light appears to be the result of photon emissions from extremely fast-moving electrons bombarding the M-class star. Researchers believe that the slowing of the white dwarf’s current high rate of rotation may be involved in whipping up the electrons.
Despite the tumultuous history of the near-Earth object’s parent body, water may have been preserved in the asteroid for about a billion years.
October 08, 2025 08:50 PM
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Physics Today - The Week in Physics
The Week in Physics" is likely a reference to the regular updates or summaries of new physics research, such as those found in publications like Physics Today from AIP Publishing or on news aggregators like Phys.org.