NEW DELHI: Astronomers have discovered new details about a star system HM Sge that burst into scene 40 years ago. It had erupted 250 times brighter within a span of just five months and became known for its luminosity.
Utilizing data from Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope and the retired Sofia (Stratospheric observatory for infrared astronomy), alongside archival records from previous missions, scientists have found out that HM Sge has undergone a rise in temperature, accompanied by a paradoxical fading phenomenon.
“In 1975 HM Sge went from being a nondescript star to something all astronomers in the field were looking at, and at some point that flurry of activity slowed down,” said Ravi Sankrit of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore.
“When I first saw the new data, I went – ‘wow this is what Hubble UV spectroscopy can do!’ – I mean it’s spectacular, really spectacular,” he added.
According to Nasa, the saga of HM Sge began in April 1975 when it burst onto the cosmic stage, erupting 250 times brighter within a span of just five months. Recent observations unveiled that despite its prolonged luminosity, the system has undergone a rise in temperature and a fading phenomenon.