Astronomers have identified a white dwarf star that could appear chartreuse green to human eyes, marking an unusual finding in the study of stellar colours. Named WD J1330+6435, the star is located approximately 280 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. According to CNN, The discovery highlights how the chemical composition of stellar atmospheres can produce colours beyond the familiar white, blue and red seen in stars.
The findings were reported in research published in the journal RAS Techniques and Instruments. The study, led by astrophysicist Mark Hollands of the University of Warwick, examined the spectra and atmospheric properties of 151 white dwarfs to investigate how their light might be perceived by human vision.
What Makes the Star Appear Green?
WD J1330+6435 is a white dwarf, the dense remnant left behind when a star exhausts its nuclear fuel and sheds its outer layers. Although white dwarfs are typically associated with white or bluish light, their atmospheric composition can influence the colour they appear to emit.
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Researchers attributed the unusual greenish appearance of WD J1330+6435 to the presence of elements including sodium, calcium and lithium in its atmosphere. These elements are believed to have originated from rocky planetary debris consumed by the star after its earlier planetary system began to break apart.
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Sodium plays a particularly important role in the star's distinctive colour. Under the extreme conditions found in a white dwarf's atmosphere, sodium absorption can alter the balance of wavelengths reaching an observer. This can produce a chartreuse-green appearance in scientific models of how humans perceive the star's light.
Study Reveals Diverse Colours Among White Dwarfs
The research also points to a wider range of colours among white dwarfs than their conventional classification might suggest. Their atmospheric chemistry can influence whether they appear pale blue, cyan, pink or purple.
Another object examined in the study, WD J1011+2845, displayed a salmon-pink appearance associated with its carbon-rich atmosphere. The finding further illustrates how the elements present in stellar remnants can affect their observable characteristics.
White dwarfs are particularly useful for studying the remnants of planetary systems because rocky material from former planets and asteroids can accumulate in their atmospheres. Analysing this material allows astronomers to investigate the composition of planetary bodies that once orbited their parent stars.
Is It the First Green Star Ever Discovered?
The finding has attracted attention because green stars are uncommon in astronomical observations. However, the reported colour is based on spectral measurements and models of human colour perception, rather than a direct naked-eye observation of a visibly green star.
The discovery offers new insight into the relationship between stellar chemistry, light and colour, while demonstrating how the remains of stars can preserve clues about the planetary systems that once surrounded them.
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