The Stellar Object on its Way Out of Our Galaxy
A Binary Star System of Sirius A and Sirius B. Sirius B is a white dwarf, which is left over remnants from a large star and has exhausted its nuclear fusion
Post Author - J. Carlin Decker III
Have you ever wanted to leave a party quickly? While our Irish goodbyes may seem fast, it pales in comparison to how speedy CWISE J1249 is making its exit from the galaxy at one million miles per hour. A group of citizen scientists from the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 program noticed this extremely fast-moving body a few years ago and labeled it CWISE J124909.08+362116.0. Follow-up observations from a variety of ground-based locations have been made to help classify CWISE J1249, and the initial citizen scientists are cited as co-authors in the published discovery.
The team believes CWISE J1249 to be either a lower-mass star or a brown dwarf—a substellar object that is slightly larger than the biggest gas giants, but has less mass than the smallest stars. Another unique property is that CWISE J1249 has much less iron and metals than other stars and dwarves, which suggests it is very old, possibly from one of the first stars in the galaxy.
Size comparisons of different stellar objects relative to our own solar system
In terms of how the object is traveling so fast and on its intergalactic course the team has two hypotheses. The first is that CWISE J1249 was part of a binary system, a pair of stars locked in orbit with each other. One of these stars, a faint white dwarf, pulled too much material from the other and exploded, which launched CWISE J1249 away at high speeds. The other hypothesis is that it was part of a cluster of stars that encountered a pair of black holes, which separated CWISE J1249 from the cluster and sent it soaring out of the Milky Way.
The various teams of researchers, volunteers, and students will continue to examine the composition of CWISE J1249 to determine its true source and continue to observe the route of its intergalactic journey. This discovery might be one of many high velocity, low mass objects traveling speedily through our galaxy
Featured Product
Space Exposed Tomato Seeds
Latest News
-
Aug 28, 2025 Learn About the Tiny Aircraft That Turn Sunlight Into Flight! Read More -
Aug 21, 2025 Learn About The Newly Discovered Species of Early Humans! Read More -
Aug 19, 2025 Old Ironsides: The USS Constitution and the Start of the U.S. Navy Read More -
Aug 14, 2025 Learn About Iron Age Mummy Tattoos! Read More -
Jul 29, 2025 Scientists Discover First Ever Ancient Roman Trilobite! Read More -
Jul 23, 2025 The Hollywood Sign: The Story of a City's Symbol Hollywoodland Read More
Cool Things!
Learn About the Tiny Aircraft That Turn Sunlight Into Flight!
Of the five layers of Earth’s atmosphere, the mesosphere (the third layer from Earth’s surface) is a height at which traditional aircraft have, thus far, been unable to reach on their own power. Generally beginning about 154,000 feet above sea level, even the world record for highest aircraft altitude falls about 20,000 feet short. However, a newly developing technology may change this reality, and it involves aircraft that punch high above their weight.
Learn About The Newly Discovered Species of Early Humans!
In studying early human ancestors, known as “hominids,” anthropologists have historically found much wider variations from specimen to specimen than expected, particularly among other paleontological fields. A recent study argues that certain groups of hominid fossils previously thought to be an already discovered species constitute a new one entirely.
Learn About Iron Age Mummy Tattoos!
Tattoos have been a popular form of individual and societal expression for centuries around the world, making them a focal point of study for anthropologists and archaeologists. Unfortunately, the oldest examples are rarely preserved well enough for deep study, since skin usually decomposes before fossilization. In one recent case, however, new technology allowed researchers to draw new conclusions about the tattoos of one fascinating specimen: a well-preserved mummy.
Specimen Deep Dives
Old Ironsides: The USS Constitution and the Start of the U.S. Navy
The Hollywood Sign: The Story of a City's Symbol Hollywoodland
Building Disneyland
Long Form Articles
The Artist Behind the Macintosh: Susan Kare and Apple Computers
While the two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, are the most well known faces behind Apple computers, equally important to the products and culture of the company were those who crafted the experience of using their computers through design. The most notable of these visual architects was Susan Kare, a designer responsible for “humanizing” Macintosh computers.
Can I Lick It? Yes You Can!
Have you ever been unable to tell if a fossil was really a fossil, but you were too embarrassed to admit it? Have you ever wanted to lick a fossil just because, but you didn’t want to risk judgment from your peers? Well, good news! You can kill two birds with one stone! Licking a fossil can actually help you determine if it’s the real deal or just another rock.
Is It Legal To Own a Meteorite: How to Start Your Outer Space Collection!
Meteorites are some of the rarest geological specimens to be found on Earth. Of course, since these stones are not of our world, purchasing them can sometimes be a confusing process. Is it legal to own a meteorite? In short, yes! Read on for help starting your cosmic collection!