The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has released a vibrant time-lapse video showcasing R Aquarii, a symbiotic binary star located approximately 700 light-years from Earth in the constellation Aquarius. This star system consists of a white dwarf and a red giant, surrounded by a dynamic nebula.
R Aquarii, the closest symbiotic star to Earth, has been a subject of study since Edwin Hubble's time, helping astronomers understand the mechanisms powering such systems. The star undergoes violent eruptions that eject massive filaments of glowing gas, illustrating how the universe redistributes nuclear energy products formed deep within stars.
The red giant in this binary system is classified as a Mira variable, over 400 times larger than the Sun. It pulsates and varies in brightness by a factor of 750 over a roughly 390-day cycle, reaching nearly 5,000 times the brightness of our Sun at its peak. The white dwarf, in a 44-year orbital period, siphons hydrogen gas from the red giant, leading to explosive nuclear fusion events known as novae.
These processes are significant, as they contribute to the enrichment of the interstellar medium with heavier elements like carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, essential for planet formation and life. The observations from Hubble provide critical insights into the dynamic nature of such binary systems and their role in the cosmic lifecycle.