Scientists have discovered two isolated double white dwarfs whose orbital periods are 40 and 46 minutes. These are rare species with orbital less than an hour.
Researchers at the University of Oklahoma were able to find two distant double white dwarfs with orbital paths of 40 and 46 minutes. White dwarfs represent the remains of solar stars, which are usually shown in pairs or doubles. But you will not often meet representatives whose orbital path takes less than an hour.
These stars are interesting because they create gravitational waves. The new find generates such powerful signals that it is a chance to test the laser interferometer. A 6.5-meter telescope from the Smithsonian Institution was used for the search. The second review also noted an eclipse event in one of the binary objects. In the future, the team is going to monitor the eclipse in real time to mark their approach and merging. So far, no one knows what exactly happens when white dwarfs come into contact. Perhaps a supernova explosion will occur. Or an exotic star type will appear. Usually a merger takes 20-35 million years. In our galaxy, you can find 65 such objects.
