4./ -4 *! dz - "*)Ǵ. ""Ǵ ) 0' - 1 '

TWOlarge stars residing inside a spectacular cloud of gas and dust )$ &) ( /# Ǯ - "*)ǭ. ""ǯ nebula have presented a puzzle to astronomers. One of them has a magnetic ơ ' Ǡ . * . *0- .0)ǟ /. *(+ )$*) * . not. And such massive stars are not usually associated with nebulae.

Researchers now appear to have resolved this mystery while also explaining how the relatively few massive stars that are magnetic got that way. Blame it on stellar fratri$ Ǡ /# 4 . $ ǟ ) /#$. . Ǡ /# $"" - ./ - ++ - )/'4 "* ' 0+ .( '' - .$ '$)" ./ -Ǡ and the mixing of their stellar material during this hostile takeover created a magnetic ơ ' ǟ

“This merger was likely very violent. When /2*./ -.( -" Ǡ( / -$ ' ) /#-*2)*0/Ǡ

) /#$.'$& '4 - / /# ) 0' 2 . /* 4Ǡǯ . $ #$' Ƕ . 0-*+ ) *0/# -) . -1 - /*-4 ./-*)*( - $" $' -*./Ǡ ' 0/#*- *! thestudypublishedonthursdayinthejournal Science.

Computer simulations previously had predicted that the blending of stellar material during such a merger could create a ( ") /$ ơ ' $) /# *( $) ./ - *-) $) this process.

“Our study is the observational smoking "0) *)ơ-($)" /#$. . ) -$*Ǡǯ . $ ./-*)*( - 0"0 . ) *! 01 )$) '"$0(Ǡ /# ./0 4ǭ. . )$*- 0/#*-ǟ

These two stars — gravitationally bound to each other in what is called a binary system — are located in our Milky Way galaxy

*0/ƯǠƳƬƬ'$"#/Ƕ4 -.!-*( -/#$)/# constellation Norma. A light-year is the dis/ ) '$"#/ /- 1 '. $) 4 -Ǡ ƱǞƵ /-$''$*) ($' . ǾƵǞƱ /-$''$*) &(ǿǟ

The researchers used nine years of observations by the Chile-based Very Large Telescope.

# ( ") /$ ./ - $. *0/ ƯƬ /$( . (*( ..$1 /# ) /# .0)ǟ /. - ( $)$)" *(+ )$*) $. *0/ ƮƲǞƱ /$( . (*- ( ..$1 than the sun. They orbit at a distance from # */# - 1 -4$)" !-*( . 1 ) /* ƲƬ /$( .

$./ ) /2 ) -/# ) /# .0)ǟ # - "*)ǭ. "" $. .* ) ( 0.

IN THIS CASE, THE BIGGER STAR APPARENTLY GOBBLED UP A SMALLER SIBLING STAR, AND THE MIXING OF THEIR STELLAR MATERIAL DURING THIS HOSTILE TAKEOVER CREATED A MAGNETIC FIELD

located relatively near a larger nebula complex called the Fighting Dragons of Ara. The ./ -. $).$ /# - "*)ǭ. "" ++ - /* # 1 started out 4-6 million years ago as a triple system — three stars born at the same time and gravitationally bound.

# /-$+' .4./ (ǭ./2*$)) -(*./( ( -. $) '0 ' -" -./ -Ǹ+ -# +.ƮƱ/*ƯƬ/$( . the mass of the sun — and a smaller one — ( 4 ơ1 /* ƭƭ /$( . /# .0)ǭ. ( ..ǟ

The more massive one evolved more ,0$ &'4 /# ) /# */# -Ǡ 2$/# $/. *0/ - ' 4 -

)"0'ơ)" /# .( '' - ./ - ) /-$"" -$)" merger that ejected into space the gas and

0./ /# / ( & 0+ /# ) 0' Ǡ /# - . - #ers said.

This occurred very recently in a cosmic /$( . ' Ǹ *0/ƳǠƱƬƬ4 -. "*Ǡ . *) the expansion velocity of the material in the ) 0' ǟ / *).$./. *! (*./'4 #4 -*" ) ) # '$0(Ǡ 0/ '.* ) 0)0.0 ''4 ' -" (*0)/ *! )$/-*" )Ǡ /# )&. /* /# ( -" -ǟ

Many sun-sized stars generate magnetic ơ ' .ǟ

Ǯ *- '*2Ƕ( .. ./ -. '$& *0- .0)Ǡ *)1 tive heating — like the movement of hot water in a radiator in your home — creates a movement of stellar material. This in turn

- / . 4) (* ƥ / 2#$ # $) 0 . ( ") /$ ơ ' Ǡǯ -*./ . $ ǟ

Ǯ *2 1 -Ǡ !*- ( ..$1 ./ -. Ǹ "- / - than eight times the mass of our sun — dif! - )/ # /$)" ƥ /. - $) +' 4Ǡ ) .*

3+' $)$)" /# +- . ) *! ( ") /$ ơ ' . for these types of stars is more tricky. This ( -" - . ) -$* /$ &. '' /# *3 .Ǡǯ -*./ added.

*0/ Ƴʻ *! ( ..$1 ./ -. - &)*2) /* # 1 ( ") /$ ơ ' ǟ # . *) ./ - $) /#$. $) -4 .4./ (Ǡ 0)$)1*'1 $) /# 1$*' )/ ( -" -Ǡ * . )*/ǟ

/ '' - ( ") /$ ơ ' . ./*- $(( ). (*0)/. *! ) -"4ǟ # .0)ǭ. ( ") /$ ./*-(. ) $)/ - / 2$/# -/#ǭ. /(*.+# -

) - / *0- +' ) /ǭ. /#-$''$)" 0-*- .Ǡ 0/ also can disrupt radio signals and navigation systems.

An image of the nebula released with the study is visually striking.

“The richness of the physics and chemis/-4 / +' 4 " 1 -$. /* 0/$!0' ./-0 /0- Ǡǯ Sana said.