By Kevin
Scientists have discovered a double-star system that will explode in a kilonova, a precious metal-creating blast caused by the merging of two stellar corpses.
The kilonova won't occur for millions of years, but the precursor system consists of one massive star and a dense, dead neutron star in a shared orbit.
Kilonovas occur during the merger of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole and result in a flash of electromagnetic radiation.
The double-star system, called CPD-29 2176, was discovered by astronomers using the SMARTS 1.5-meter Telescope in Chile and is located 11,400 light-years from Earth.
The neutron star in the system was formed by a special class of supernova called a stripped-down supernova and the massive star will likely become a neutron star and eventually merge with the current neutron star, resulting in a kilonova.
The discovery provides insight into the formation of neutron stars and the possibility of some stars dying without traditional supernovae.
The development of the cosmic event may take up to a billion years but scientists are excited to study the precursor before the explosion.
By Kevin