Two Giant Stars Brushed Past the Solar System - and Left Their Mark

Two giant stars brushed past the solar system - and left their mark

Scientists find that two hot stars passed near our solar system 4.4 million years ago, altering nearby interstellar clouds.

Sun’s Ancient Encounter With Two Hot Stars Left A Legacy In The Solar System’s Neighborhood

Early human ancestors saw much brighter stars than any in the modern night sky.

Astronomers Unveil Evidence of a 'Cosmic Scar' Left by Ancient Star Encounter

A new study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, has unveiled a fascinating discovery about our solar system’s past. Astronomers have found that around 4.4 million years ago, two massive stars passed incredibly close to the Sun, leaving behind a “cosmic scar” in the interstellar clouds that surround us. This groundbreaking research sheds light on how these celestial encounters may have influenced life on Earth, while also offering new insigh…

Astronomers reveal how passing stars and exploding giants shaped our early solar system

Nearly 4.5 million years ago, two enormous, blazing stars swung close to the solar system. They did not touch the sun, but they came close enough to leave a permanent mark on the thin mist of gas that surrounds our cosmic home. That mark still lingers today, written in invisible electric charges carried by atoms drifting between the stars. New research led by astrophysicist Michael Shull of the University of Colorado Boulder shows how that ancie…

Two hot stars passed near our solar system and left a lasting mark

Around 4.4 million years ago—long before humans existed—two massive, blazing-hot stars swept past our solar system. They didn’t come close enough to pose any danger, but they came close enough to leave behind a chemical “fingerprint” that astronomers can still detect today in the clouds of gas and dust that surround us. This discovery comes […] The post Two hot stars passed near our solar system and left a lasting mark appeared first on Knowridg…

Close Brush With Two Hot Stars Left A Mark Just Beyond Our Solar System - Astrobiology

Nearly 4.5 million years ago, two large, hot stars brushed tantalizingly close to Earth’s sun. They left behind a trace in the clouds of gas and dust that swirl just beyond our solar system—almost like the scent of perfume after someone has left the room. That’s one finding from new research led by Michael Shull, […] The post Close Brush With Two Hot Stars Left A Mark Just Beyond Our Solar System appeared first on Astrobiology.