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A star with a tail

Stellar streak tells of 30,000 years of history.

Astronomers have found an unexpected treat on a star first described more than 400 years ago - the streak of a 13-light-year-long tail.

Read the story here.

Posted by Nicola Jones on August 15, 2007
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I have questions for Mark Seibert on the recent and interesting find. The article mention that the star is traveling, but didn't indicate what direction in space? Also, the elements in the tail, are they forming or contributing microscopic dust to clouds--analogus to the G-cloud? What density is the dust, in the tail per centimeter cubed? Since Myra A is 330+ light years away, is there nearby solar systems along its path, where the elements and dust might aggriagate? Is it traveling toward Sol, or away from Sol?
Since the tail spans 30,000 light years, is the begining reminent elements(furthest point away)composed of mainly Hydrogen gas with the star proximity (Close by Myra) being Carboxyl-groups of elements and gas?
Hope to see a follow up with this article in the near future!

Posted by: Jerry M. Weikle | August 15, 2007 07:32 PM

The bow wave in the front could have only formed in dense interstellar space which could only be possibble in a close cluster of space

Posted by: sunderajan | August 16, 2007 09:49 AM

The article in the Globe starts "As a nearby giant star hurtles through space, it is leaving behind a glittering wake ..." Does that mean anything at all? Which direction is behind? "Hurtles' with respect to what? Why is there a trail? Is it the result of the attraction of some other star, or black hole, as a comet's trail is due to the attraction of the sun?

[Editor's note: my understanding is that the tail is due to the star moving through the surrounding interstellar dust, leaving a 'wake' of its own debris behind it. But this may not be the entire explanation for the tail, the researchers say, since other similar stars moving at similar speeds don't seem to have one.]

Posted by: Gustave Rabson | August 16, 2007 03:55 PM

What would have caused Omicron Ceti to be ramped up so fast (291,000 mph)? Supernova near the core?

Posted by: Chris Chaney | August 16, 2007 03:55 PM

Hi, On 13th August 2007 at around 10.45pm I was watching the stars and saw something rather strange that I think you might like to know about. It sounds very similar to the Mira you have been talking and writing about. The only thing is, is that this was seen uaided.(Naked Eye) Is this possible and would you like to know what I saw?Please reply as this has left me with no explanation as to what it was. With regards Kate. I am in the uk East Of England

Posted by: Kate Granger | August 19, 2007 09:13 PM

Is Mira leaving a trail of its own material - or is it borrowing through local gasses and leaving an exited, glowing tube? In one case we are seeing something about Mira's evolution, in the other we are seeing a core sample of the local material through which Mira is moving (remember the "bow shock").

Posted by: Craig George | August 20, 2007 05:38 PM

If one looks for Mira at wikisky (1) and switches to the IRAS view of the neighbouring area, there is a kind of streak spanning from Mira northwards for about 1 degree.

Is that some funny artifact, or is that this tail, as seen in the infrared?

Thanks, Stefan

(1): http://www.wikisky.org/?ra=2.322&de=-2.9775&zoom=4

Posted by: Stefan Scherer | August 21, 2007 10:34 PM

No, it's just an artifact. Many stars have similar tails in IRAS survey. In addition direction of the tail doesn't match. Compare images in ultraviolet:
http://www.wikisky.org/?ra=2.32&de=-2.96&zoom=7&img_source=IMG_all
and IRAS:
http://www.wikisky.org/?ra=2.32&de=-2.96&zoom=7&img_source=IRAS

Posted by: Sergei | August 22, 2007 05:12 PM

Sergej,

thank you very much - I didn't see first that the new photo was already integrated in the database! I just wanted to it to try to figure out how the UV photo fits into the sky.
Now, how this is done at wikisky is just great!

Posted by: Stefan Scherer | August 23, 2007 11:02 PM

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