Dying Sun-like stars may kick themselves through space
Astrophysicist Jim Fuller proposes that dying Sun-like stars experience thousands of small, asymmetric 'kicks' as they eject material during their transition into white dwarfs. These random bursts of matter can cause the star to move through space at significant speeds.
Why it matters
This model explains the observed movement of some stellar remnants and provides a more chaotic view of the final stages of stellar evolution.
When stars similar to the Sun grow old, they expand into red giants. During this phase, their outer layers churn and gradually drift into space, while the dense cores left behind shrink into white dwarfs. Because this is the fate of most stars, white dwarfs are among the most common stellar remnants in the universe.
A new model from Caltech theoretical astrophysicist Jim Fuller suggests that this transformation may be far less orderly than it appears. His calculations indicate that uneven bursts of escaping material can repeatedly push a dying star in different directions, giving it thousands of small kicks before the white dwarf fully forms.
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