XRISM Sees a Star’s Wind Power Its Companion’s Flares
NASA reports that astronomers using the Japan-led XRISM observatory directly observed a giant star’s stellar wind being captured by its compact companion, powering strong X-ray flares. The target is BP Crucis, a high-mass X-ray binary about 13,000 light-years away in the southern constellation Crux.
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The compelling part is the direct chain: captured wind, then X-ray flare.
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BP Crucis gives researchers a concrete system in which to test that process in greater detail.