Jul 25 2001
From The Space Library
Scientists at NASA’s JPL became the first researchers to observe a star spinning so rapidly that its midsection had stretched out. Using an ultra-high–resolution telescope located at Palomar Mountain in California, the JPL team measured the shape of the star Altair and found that it was not round. Although scientists had often suspected that the revolutions of a star might cause its shape to change, the JPL team was the first to take measurements to confirm the hypothesis. Altair’s diameter at its equator measured about 14 percent greater than the diameter at the poles. The findings had implications far beyond determining the shape of one star. As Charles A. Beichman, Chief Scientist on the project explained, “Determining the shape of another star helps us learn about the forces that control the shape and structure of all stars, including our star, the Sun. This tells us more about the Sun’s behavior and ultimate fate.” (NASA, “Star with Midriff Bulge Eyed by Astronomers,” news release 01-150, 25 July 2001.)
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