Massive binary star on course for black hole merger (IMAGE)

University College London

Massive binary star on course for black hole merger

Caption

The smaller, brighter, hotter star (left), which is 32 times the mass of our Sun, is currently losing mass to its bigger companion (right), which has 55 times the mass of our Sun. The stars are white and blue as they are so hot: 43,000 and 38,000 degrees Kelvin respectively.

Credit

Credit: UCL / J. daSilva

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