New Breed of Star Discovered

The University of Texas astronomers have discovered a pulsating carbon white dwarf. The two types of white dwarfs formerly known to exist have an outer layer of helium or an outer layer of hydrogen.

However, stars lacking the hydrogen and helium layers were found. These stars seem to be shredded down to their carbon layer. Leaving this layer exposed has revealed the most enormous white dwarf stars, too tiny to terminate their existence in a supernova explosion.

Pulsations in these stars may assist astronomers understanding of the carbon white dwarfs’ output which may produce better analysis of their interior.

“National Science Foundation astronomer Michael Briley said, ‘This will allow us to probe the white dwarf's interior, which in turn should help us solve the riddle of where the carbon white dwarfs come from and what happens to their hydrogen and helium.’”

Summarized from Astronomy Now Online: http://www.astronomynow.com/Astronomersdiscovernewbreedofstar.html

I typed this baby up on Monday evening. Sorry about the redundancy with the full article already being submitted.