Astronomers Solve Mystery of Magnetic Field in ‘Dragon’s Egg’ Nebula:

Astronomers have recently uncovered the origins of a magnetic field around a massive star within the “Dragon’s Egg” nebula, providing key insights into the formation of such rare phenomena.
• The nebula, located about 3,700 light-years from Earth in the constellation Norma, is home to two massive stars involved in a cosmic drama of stellar proportions.
• The European Southern Observatory’s Chile-based team observed that one of these stars possesses a magnetic field similar to that of our sun, while its companion does not. This distinction has puzzled scientists, especially since massive stars are not typically associated with nebulae.
• The mystery was unravelled through extensive observations and computer simulations over nine years using the Very Large Telescope.
• Researchers concluded that the magnetic star had, in its earlier stages, absorbed a smaller sibling star. This stellar merger mixed their materials in a violent clash, consequently creating the magnetic field.

What is a nebula?
• It is a vast cloud of gas and dust in space. These clouds are often the birthplaces of stars.
• They come in several types, including emission nebulae, which emit light as their gas is energized by nearby stars.
About the Dragon’s Egg Nebula :
• The Dragon’s Egg Nebula are formed as a result of the intense stellar winds emanating from a massive, hot central star.
• This star, estimated to be around 40 times more massive than our Sun, blasts its outer layers into space at speeds of up to 4 million kilometers per hour.