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Astronomers in the US have discovered an Earth-sized ‘diamond’ about 900 light-years away in space.
The team of scientists say that the former star – the coldest, faintest white dwarf ever detected - is so cool that its carbon has crystallised to form, essentially, a gigantic diamond in space.
White dwarves are formed at the end of the lifespan of a low- or medium-mass star and are one of the densest forms of matter known to exist. They form when stars, similar in size to our Sun, burn up all of the hydrogen in their cores into helium through nuclear fusion. Gravity then causes the star to collapse inwards, and they slowly cool and fade over time.
The white dwarf was discovered using telescopes from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and is believed to be about 11 billion years old – about the same age as the Milky Way.
Professor David Kaplan of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee described the white dwarf as a “really remarkable object” and said that they are very difficult to detect.
These things should be out there, but because they are so dim they are very hard to find.
Although much cooler than when it was a star, the team calculates that the white dwarf’s temperature is around 2,700 degrees Celsius.
Observations of the dwarf’s companion pulsar (a rapidly-spinning neutron star) led observers to identify its location as being about 900 light-years away from Earth in the direction of the Aquarius constellation (which is comprised of very faint stars and seen in the southern hemisphere from Earth).
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If I was to somehow get that diamond the size of earth for the other half, she would still find something to moan about.
You never know, why not give it a try?
Yeah I find your missus moans a lot too
Can do nothin but laugh at that one :)
You took it well in fairness. Like your missus.
Unlike your missus, which was a lot of hard work.
Lets spend billions and trillions, trying to reach it and leave people here in poverty on earth!
No Stephen ,
Let’s just keep feeding and breeding , more and more billions of people.
Don’t invest in any new technology, Don’t create jobs for the worlds best scientists don’t send probes and don’t build new telescopes to find new worlds .
BTW, the money spent on this technology stays on earth, wages and taxes are paid, jobs are created . Only a prototype machine goes up, it’s money well spent .
If everyone in the past thought like you do, there would be no machines no motors no electricity …….
Stephen – never pass up an easy pink for a hard brown.
Thats the most racist comment ive ever hea….ah its ..Snooker!! I get it now…my bad!!:)
Science fiction becomes science fact, kinda. In Doctor Who episode “Midnight”, the Doctor goes to a planet called Midnight, which is basically a giant diamond also. Sorry for the nerdgasm.
Not sure which is worse, the doctor who anecdote, or the use of nerdgasm!
Kayne West has just bought it for Kim Big Arse
Watch cosmos on discovery, past the edge of our known universe scientist speculate their is an endless multiverse
Speculation. Just as god was. Ler them prove what’s beyond the edge of universe first
Just the right size for her ring…
First thing I thought about was that episode :)
I suggest we definitely DON’T try to colonise that planet……….
11 billion years old…diamonds really are forever!
You’d need a big ring for that diamond!
Problem solved: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/image/saturn_voy2.jpg
Ha! I was thinking more along the lines of Uranus, if you get me…
Or maybe a Nebula? http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/New_view_of_the_Ring_Nebula
Shine bright like a diamond …..
Diamonds don’t shine
Chill out guys it’s just a line from a song …
An awful awful song.
Awful
Oh look an article that mentions diamonds, I’ll just mindlessly post lyrics from a song I know about diamonds that has no relation whatsoever, nor is humorous nor adds anything in general to the discussion. Then I’ll remind everyone that it’s a line from a song as if they don’t know having heard it on repeat on the radio for about a month.
You glad you go it that rant off your chest Leopold ? Make you feel better ? ?
@ Joan , thejournal seems to attract them like moths to a flame :-)
The song lyrics should be “total internal reflection like a diamond”.
Did quoting BS song lyrics make you feel better, Joan?
Oh stop being so serious !
Frognostical , you are so right !
5.4 quadrillion miles away….mmm…..Will she wait for me ??
I blame Lucy .
Thrion lanaster is also a white dwarf. Just saying..
If the star is a diamond where does its fusion happen?..surely its core is extremely dense?…now I feel dense.ha
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