* Astronomy

Members Login

Post Info

TOPIC: Metal clouds

Blobrana

L

Posts: 131433

Date: Jun 26 00:29 2007

Alpha Andromedae	Permalink

Weather caused by the same forces as the weather on Earth has been seen on a star for the first time, reveal observations of mercury clouds on a star called Alpha Andromedae. Previously, astronomers had thought that any structures on stars were caused by magnetic fields. Sunspots, for example, are relatively cool regions on the Sun where strong magnetic fields prevent energy from flowing outwards. Expand (51kb, 700 x 150) Darker regions show heavier concentrations of mercury on the surface of the star Alpha Andromedae. The mercury clouds are most common along the star's equator, probably due to the star's rotation. Credit: Kochukhov et al./Nature Read more __________________

Blobrana

L

Posts: 131433

Date: Jun 25 22:21 2007

Metal clouds	Permalink

Stars have Earth-like weather Studying clouds of metal could shed light on how elements form inside stars The skies of stars might experience weather like that on planets, researchers now find. The drifting clouds scientists have seen are wispy, "just like cirrus clouds on Earth" except these are made of mercury, explained astrophysicist Oleg Kochukhov at Uppsala University in Sweden. Investigating these metal clouds might shed light on how elements form inside stars. Read more __________________

Page 1 of 1 sorted by

Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse