Recently, the Royal Astronomical Society announcedNorth StarIt is in a state of anomalous flickering and is expected to last until 2025. This status showsNorth StarMay be nearing the end of its life and may face a huge **. As well known to the ChinesePurple MSINorth StarInInternationalScienceThe world is known as the star Ursa Minor. For whyNorth StarThere will be multiple names, which will be explained below.
North StarIt is a huge star located near the Earth's north celestial pole, with a diameter of 52 million kilometers, equivalent to 14 starsThe sunsize. Due toNorth StarThe enormous light is capable of illuminating the entire universe, and its flickering is noticeable even on a tiny being as small as the Earth. Therefore, the ancient people tookNorth StarPurple MSIand regarded it as a symbol of the fate of the emperor and the country. In modern astronomy,North StarIt is still widely usedSpace explorationand star map positioning. The latest research has found thatNorth StarNot just a star, but a byNorth Stara、North Starb andNorth Starab A galaxy composed of three members. Among them,North StarA is the brightest and most striking member, whileNorth Starb is surrounded like a guardianNorth Stara around.
Stars do not exist forever, they go through a life cycle from birth to death. North Star's anomalous flickering state suggests that it may be nearing the end of its life cycle, when it is about to face **. To better understand why stars are headed, it is necessary to understand the entire life cycle of stars.
The birth of stars with ancient mythologyPanguThe groundbreaking story is similar. There are a large number of small particles of matter in the universe, which are scattered throughout the universe, forming a state of chaos. Over a long period of time, the matter began to gradually accumulate, forming two structures, the nebula and the void. The matter in the nebula gradually becomes denser, forming a spherical cloud, the hydrogen element in its center beginsNuclear fusion, which in turn burns and emits light. This process is equivalent to fertilizing an egg in a molecular cloud to form a star with life. North StarThe birth of the company took place according to this process.
However, the burning of stars is a finite and expendable process. The hydrogen inside the star is gradually burned out, and when the hydrogen is not burning, the star's ability to support it is also lost. At this time, the star will be oppressed by the gravitational pull of the universe, resulting in inward contraction. However, due to the friction of the hydrogen atoms inside the inner core, a violent ** is triggered, allowing the star to fight against gravity and release a huge amount of energy in **, thus maintaining itself as a sphere. This stage is calledRed Giant, the color of the star may change depending on the burning temperature.
Eventually, when all the hydrogen inside the star burns out, the flame is extinguished and the massive sphere will disappear, leaving only a core in the rest. The core is mainly composed of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. The mass of the core is very large, while the volume is very small, resulting in a very high pressure and temperature inside the core. Under these extreme conditions, the nuclei within the core can occur at higher levelsNuclear fusionreaction, and produce greater energy. This phase is known as a supernova explosion.
Supernova explosions are one of the most spectacular events in a star's life cycle. During the explosion, the star releases a huge amount of energy and matter, which has a huge impact on the surrounding galaxies and planets. Some supernova explosions cause the complete destruction of the star, leaving only a dense core, which is calledNeutron starsorBlack holes
According toSciencehome observations and research,North Star's anomalous flickering state may be a harbinger of its imminent supernova explosion. This state may be due to:North StarThe hydrogen within is constantly decreasing, causing fluctuations in its energy and brightness. ScienceIt is expected that this anomalous flickering will continue for some time untilNorth StarUntil the outbreak is reached.
IfNorth StarIf it really erupts, it will release a huge amount of energy and matter, which will have a huge impact on the earth and people. First, supernova explosions produce intense radiation that causes extinct radioactive contamination on Earth. At the same time, the huge ** force can also produce strong shock waves and **, causing the rupture of the earth's crust and the collapse of the mountain. In addition,North StarThe eruption could also cause disturbances to the Earth's magnetic field and paralyze power grids and communication systems.
However, let's not worry too much. AlthoughNorth Starcaused by the abnormal flickering stateSciencehome attention, but that doesn't mean an outbreak is inevitable. ScienceThe family is still trying to observe and studyNorth Starto better understand its evolutionary process and possible future. At the same time, humans can also improve by improvingSciencelevel of technology and disaster prevention measures to mitigateNorth StarThe impact of the outbreak on the planet and people.
North Starcaused by the abnormal flickering stateScienceThe attention of the world marks that it may be coming to the end of its life and may face a huge supernova explosion. However, further observations and studies are needed to determine the specifics. Anyway,North StarThe role it has played in human history and culture is irreplaceable and will always be remembered, regardless of its fate.