Nasa captures runaway star
A NASA space telescope has captured the shockwave caused by a runaway star.
The blue star near the centre of this image is Zeta Ophiuchi Photo: AP
The massive star is racing at 54,000 mph through a cloud of dust and gas.
NASA used an orbiting observatory called WISE that sees the sky in infrared light.
It recorded the yellow arc as its powerful stellar winds push the gas and dust out of the way.
Astronomers believe the star, labelled Zeta in the constellation of Ophiuchus the snake charmer, once revolved around another star.
But its companion exploded as a violent supernova, flinging Zeta out into deep space.
Zeta Ophiuchi, as it is known, is a very massive hot blue star that is 65,000 times brighter than our own Sun and 20 times its size.
It lies 458 light years away and would appear brighter in the night sky if it were not shrouded by the gas and dust.
But its expected eight million year lifespan is far shorter than that of our sun, which is expected to burn for 10 billion years.
Like its long-lost companion, it will then blow itself to pieces in a supernova blast too.
It lies 458 light years away and would appear brighter in the night sky if it were not shrouded by the gas and dust.
But its expected eight million year lifespan is far shorter than that of our sun, which is expected to burn for 10 billion years.
Like its long-lost companion, it will then blow itself to pieces in a supernova blast too.
