Unprecedented Shift Detected in Polaris, the Brightest Cepheid Variable.

Polaris, the closest and brightest Cepheid variable star, has recently shown unexpected changes in its pulsation period. For over a century, the period had been increasing, but it has now started to shorten. Astronomer Guillermo Torres suggests that these changes are due to the binary nature of the system, where the companion star perturbs the atmosphere of the primary star. By analyzing radial velocity measurements, Torres was able to trace the evolution of Polaris' pulsation properties and derive an improved spectroscopic orbit for the binary system. This discovery could provide insights into the behavior of other pulsating stars and help understand the nature of their oscillations.