RAZoom – Binary Stars and Stellar Cannibalism

Radio Astronomy Section meeting on Zoom, link by request from Paul Hearn [ paul@hearn.org.uk ]

Binary Stars and Stellar Cannibalism

Dr. Noel Castro-Segura University of Warwick Astronomy and Astrophysics Group

Stars are the building blocks of the universe. The majority of the stars in our galaxy spend their lives associated with a stellar companion, bound by the gravitational pull between them. The population of so-called binary stars encompasses up to 80% of the stars in the galaxy, and approximately half of these systems have an orbital period short enough to induce mass transfer between the two celestial objects at some point in their evolution.

Many of these interacting binaries contain a compact stellar remnant, which accretes material stripped from the surface of its companion star, thus providing an ideal laboratory to study physical bodies with extreme gravity such as white dwarfs and neutron stars. Furthermore, they offer a unique opportunity to infer the presence of one of the most exotic objects in the universe: black holes. This allows us to learn how they interact with their environment while shaping the universe we observe.

Here, I will review the basics of binary evolution and provide an overview of the phenomena observed in these systems. Additionally, I will highlight how amateur astronomers and citizen scientists can contribute to advancing science.