starburst

An artist's impression of the large-scale landscape of FU~Ori. The image shows the currents created by the interaction between strong stellar winds triggered by the outburst and the remnant mantle from which the star formed. The stellar wind drives the shock wave into the mantle and the CO gas carried away by the shock is the new discovery of the ALMA observatory. Credit: NSF/NRAO/SDagnello

Astronomers solve the mystery of the dramatic 1936 eruption of FU Orionis

An unusual group of stars in the Orion constellation has revealed their secrets. FU Orionis, a double star system, first attracted the attention of astronomers in 1936, when the central star suddenly became