News Astronomy

This extreme star might have huge tidal waves

The height of the waves could be up to three times the diameter of the sun

An illustration of one large blue star next to one small blue star with a thin stream of light passing between the two.

On one star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, enormous tidal waves of plasma might repeatedly crash across its surface as a smaller companion star’s gravity tugs on the bigger star (illustrated).

Melissa Weiss/CfA

By Liz Kruesi

Like ocean surf smashing on a sandy beach, enormous waves of plasma may crash onto the surface of one massive star.