Super Speedy Unbound Star Breaks the Galactic Speed Record

This star puts the fastest objects in our universe to shame. Scientists have found a fast-moving unbound star that has broken the galactic speed record.

The unbound star is named US708 and is traveling at 1,200 kilometers per second. That's the fastest speed ever recorded for such an object in our galaxy. Being an unbound star, this object is not held back by gravity and will eventually zip out of the Milky Way galaxy.

US708 was, most likely, part of a double-star solar system which also included a massive white dwarf star. The white dwarf, though, likely turned into a thermonuclear supernova and then exploded. This explosion "kicked" US708 from the system and sent it hurtling across space.

"Several types of stars have been suspected of causing the explosion of a white dwarf as supernova of type Ia," said Stephen Geier, the leader of the new study, in a news release. "Until now, none of them could be confirmed. Now we have found a delinquent on the run bearing traces of the crime scene."

Type Ia supernovae have long been used to calculate the distances to faraway galaxies. That's why learning more about them, and how they form, is crucial to future research.

In this case, the speedy star is evidence of a potential type Ia supernova. That said, this star won't remain in our galaxy for too long. It will continue its trek and eventually leave the Milky Way in the future.

The findings are published in the journal Science.

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