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runaway star
A young star, usually of spectral type O or early B, with an unusually high space velocity. The best known are Naos (Zeta Puppis), and the trio AE Aurigae, 53 Arietis, and Mu Columbae, all of which are racing away on diverging paths from a comparatively small region in Orion. Runaway stars are thought to be produced when there is a supernova explosion in a close binary system – an idea proposed in 1961 by the Dutch astronomer Adriaan Blaauw. Compare with hypervelocity star.
References
- Blaauw A. and Morgan W. W. (1954). "The Space Motions of AE Aurigae and mu Columbae with Respect to the Orion Nebula," Astrophysical Journal, v.119, p.625.
- Hoogerwerf R., de Bruijne J. H. J., and de Zeeuw P. T. (2000). "The Origin of Runaway Stars," Astrophysical Journal, v. 544, p.L133.
Related category
• TYPES OF STARS
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