by Massive stars gain their magnetism by colliding and merging with other stars, according to evidence from a bizarre binary system surrounded by a dusty, element-rich nebula.
Inside that bipolar nebula, which has the dual designation of NGC 6164/6165, is the star system HD 148937.
Located some 3,800 light-years away, in the southern hemisphere constellation of Norma, HD 148937 contains two massive stars in orbit around one another.
One of these stars is magnetic and, in fact, is the brightest and hottest massive star known to have a magnetic field.
That's puzzling because, based on what we know about the interiors of stars, massive stars should not have magnetic fields.
Source
Inside that bipolar nebula, which has the dual designation of NGC 6164/6165, is the star system HD 148937.
Located some 3,800 light-years away, in the southern hemisphere constellation of Norma, HD 148937 contains two massive stars in orbit around one another.
One of these stars is magnetic and, in fact, is the brightest and hottest massive star known to have a magnetic field.
That's puzzling because, based on what we know about the interiors of stars, massive stars should not have magnetic fields.
Source
