A study conducted by astrophysicist Oleg Kochukhov has shown that the some stars possess Earth-like weather cycles. Their skies are covered with clouds just like Earth and after some days these clouds disappear on the skies. The only difference is that these clouds are not made of water but Mercury!
Researchers are now investigating these clouds in an effort to study how elements are formed inside stars.
Kochukhov and his colleagues have spent the last seven years to study the brightest star in the Andromeda constellation. This bluish-white star is named alpha Andromedae and it lies some 100 light years away from us. This star is twice as hot as our Sun and is three times its diameter.
Till now researchers were confused to find spots on the surface of alpha Andromedae. Stars develop spots due to their magnetic field like our Sun, however alpha Andromedae is not magnetic but has spots. These spots were like a puzzle to Kochukhov since according to theories they can only be formed due to a magnetic field.
Now Kochukhov has proved that these spots are nothing but clouds of mercury which form on its skies like clouds on planets. Such weather cycles can only be seen on stars which are hot and massive. Moreover they should also spin slowly as if they spin fast all clouds could be destroyed. Likewise, alpha Andromedae spins at a rate of once in 60 hours.
Another question in the minds of these astronomers is that what actually makes these clouds. This research can also find the answer to questions like what is the reason of discrepancies in the levels of mercury and other heavy elements in massive stars like alpha Andromedae.
Stars like alpha Andromedae hold the answers to critical questions regarding the origin of elements and once they are properly studied they can also give us some clues regarding the origin of the universe.
Via: usatoday
