'16,000 Kelvin shock': NASA's Hubble finds a star that burns hotter than 3 Suns!
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Credit: NASA-JPL, Caltech
Star Mystery
NASA’s Hubble reveals FU Orionis’s accretion disk burning at 16,000 Kelvin—triple the Sun’s surface temperature.
Blazing Disk
The disk is nearly twice as hot as previous estimates, challenging existing astrophysical models.
Representative pic
UV Shock
Caltech’s Lynne Hillenbrand calls the ultraviolet emissions from FU Ori’s disk “a big surprise.”
Credit: Caltech/T. Pyle (IPAC)
Inner Inferno
Material plunging toward the star creates a 16,000-Kelvin shock at the disk’s inner edge.
Credit: NASA-JPL, Caltech
Planet Threat
Lead researcher Adolfo Carvalho warns that forming planets near FU Ori could fry or collide with the star.
Credit: NASA-JPL, Caltech
Chemical Legacy
Outbursts from FU Ori alter the chemistry of distant forming planets, influencing their evolution.
Credit: NASA/FUSE/Lynette Cook.
Model Rewrite
Hubble’s findings force astronomers to rethink the structure of accretion disks and young stars.
Cosmic Chaos
Episodic surges in brightness highlight FU Ori’s volatile process of growth and material absorption.
Representative pic
Future Impact
These insights reveal how extreme conditions in young stars shape planetary formation and survival.
Credit: NASA