Giant Tidal Waves Threaten Earth as They Crash on Distant Star
Astronomers have discovered massive waves on a heartbeat star, MACHO 80.7443.1718, reaching a height of three suns stacked on top of each other. This is the first time such large waves have been observed on a heartbeat star. The waves are caused by the gravitational interaction between the two stars in the system, resulting in tides on the larger star. These waves behave like tidal waves on Earth, starting as smaller swells and eventually breaking. The waves also cause the star's surface to spin faster, leading to the ejection of large amounts of stellar gas and the formation of a rotating atmosphere around the star. The researchers believe there may be more heartbeat stars with similar phenomena and are planning to search for them.