1 min read

White Dwarf Migration in Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae (with title)

This diagram shows how white dwarfs, the burned-out relics of stars, are distributed in the ancient globular star cluster 47 Tucanae. The youngest white dwarfs are the hottest and bluest stars dwelling mostly in the cluster's core, where the most massive stars reside. Shortly before collapsing to become white dwarfs, the stars shed most of their mass. Now, as lightweight white dwarfs, they interact gravitationally with more massive stars in the core. Through these gravitational encounters, the white dwarfs rob enough speed from their more massive cousins to begin migrating slowly outward from their home. During their journey, they become older and cooler white dwarfs, depicted in the orange dots. Eventually, the white dwarfs settle on the outskirts of the cluster, where the oldest, coolest, reddest white dwarfs reside.

Object Name
Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
47 Tuc, 47 Tucanae, NGC 104
Release Date
May 14, 2015
Science Release
Hubble Catches a Stellar Exodus in Action
Read the release
Credit
NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI)

Downloads

PDF
(4.39 MB)
2700 × 2440
(954.76 KB)
200 × 200
(49.86 KB)
400 × 362
(78.53 KB)
1000 × 904
(200.18 KB)

Related Images & Videos

White Dwarfs Migrating from Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae's Core

The heart of the giant globular star cluster 47 Tucanae in the Hubble Space Telescope image at left reveals the glow of 200,000 stars. The green box outlines the cluster's crowded core, where Hubble spied a parade of young white dwarfs starting their slow-paced 40-million-year...

Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae

Hubble 47 Tucanae – Visible+UV (crop)

A detailed view of a globular cluster overlaid with light green circles, which mark the locations of white dwarf stars.

Hubble 47 Tucanae – UV with White Dwarfs Marked (crop)

Side-by-side comparison of 47 Tucanae as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope with compass arrows, scale bar, color keys, and graphic overlays. The image on the left is titled “47 Tuc, NGC 104, Hubble Space Telescope, Visible.” The image on the right is titled “47 Tuc, NGC 104, Hubble Space Telescope, Ultraviolet.”

Compass and Scale Image of 47 Tucanae

Hubble 47 Tucanae in UV with White Dwarfs Marked

Hubble 47 Tucanae – UV (full)