SPACERIUM

V404 Cygni is one of the most captivating black hole binary systems known to astronomers. Located approximately 7,800 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus , this system consists of a stellar-mass black hole and a companion star. The interactions between these two objects provide profound insights into the mechanisms of accretion, relativistic jet formation, and stellar evolution in the vicinity of a black hole. In this blog, we will explore the characteristics of both the black hole and the companion star within the V404 Cygni system, and how their interactions manifest in the observable universe. The Black Hole: A Compact Object of Extremes The black hole in V404 Cygni, with a mass roughly nine times that of the Sun, belongs to the class of stellar-mass black holes. These black holes are the remnants of massive stars that have undergone gravitational collapse after exhausting their nuclear fuel. The end state of such a star, having shed its outer layers in a supernova explos...

  Have you ever wished you could witness a stellar explosion? Well, 2024 might just be your year! A fascinating binary star system called T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), also known as the Blaze Star, is a potential candidate for a spectacular outburst this year. But before we get into the fireworks, let's delve into the intriguing configuration of this cosmic duo. A Tale of Two Stars: The T CrB Dance T CrB resides roughly 3,000 light-years away in the constellation Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. This binary system boasts a contrasting pair of stars, each at vastly different points in their stellar journeys. The White Dwarf: Imagine a celestial cinder, a star that has collapsed into an incredibly dense core after burning through most of its fuel. This is T CrB's white dwarf companion. Despite its compact size, its mass is surprisingly comparable to our Sun! The Red Giant: On the other hand, we have a behemoth nearing the twilight of its stellar life – a red giant. These giants...