NASA “Blue Lurker” Discovery Sheds light on the Secrets of Triple-Star Evolution in M67 | UAP

NASA has identified a rare and unusual “blue lurker” star produced during the collapse of a triple-star system in the M67 star cluster.

Due to its remarkable speed, the star hides 2,800 light years away and is visible through NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Astronomer Dr. Emily Leiner of the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago led the work presented at the 245th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Washington, D.C.

Blue Lurkers And Stragglers

The blue lurkers are a subset of “blue stragglers,” stars that are hotter, brighter, and emit more blue light than would typically be expected. What separates the lurkers is their ability to blend in with other stars, if not for their telltale high spin velocity.

Scientists attribute the blue stragglers’ greater intensity to mergers between stars, and in this case, the lurker’s trademark speed caught scientists’ eye and led to its identification.

From its high spin rate, astronomers deduced that the blue lurker absorbed material from its companion star, leading it to increase its spin velocity. NASA’s Kepler space telescope, now retired, first discovered the high spin velocity. The lurker completes a rotation in only four days; compared to the roughly 30 days, it takes more sun-like stars.

Formation of a Blue Lurker

The blue lurker results from a “super complicated…more