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Zeta Ophiuchus is a star located in Ophiuchus.Different from other bright stars, there is no proper name in the west.Although Zeta Ophiuchus is a hot blue giant, it looks red because interstellar dust absorbs a lot of blue light and causes reddening.In fact, if there were no interstellar dust, Zeta Ophiuchus would be several magnitudes brighter and listed in the bright star catalog.Zeta Ophiuchus is in the middle of the initial stage of star evolution, and will expand into a supergiant star before ending its life and becoming a spectacular supernova in millions of years in the future.
NASAWide area infrared detector(WISE) photographed a huge star "abandoning" its companion and rushing into the cosmic dust.This produces a bright bow shock wave, which looks like a yellow arc.
Stellar nomenclature
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It is very huge, and its mass is about 20 times that of the sun.Observed under visible light, it is a dim star, surrounded by other dim stars without interstellar dust.But in this image taken by NASA's Wide Area Infrared Explorer (WISE), it shows its true face - super massive, high temperature bright blue stars, surrounded by dense interstellar dust and gas.This is a processed image, in which the infrared ray has been converted into color that can be seen by the naked eye. The blue bright spot in the bow shock wave is the star.
Once a binary system
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Orbit another star with more mass.But when this huge star exploded into a supernova, Zeta Ophiuchus left like a bullet.Its speed is 54000 miles per hour (24 kilometers per second).
Bow shock wave
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When it passes through the space at a high speed, the huge wind generated pushes the interstellar dust and gas to form the so-called bow shock wave. The infrared light generated by the ultra strong compression of the matter in the shock wave can be observed through the Wide Area Infrared Detector (WISE).This shock wave effect is similar to the wave pushed forward by a ship rushing into the water at high speed.
One of the brightest stars
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This bow shock wave is completely buried by visible light, but the wide area infrared detector (WISE)infrared cameraIt can be photographed through the dim interstellar dust.Without these interstellar dust, Zeta Ophiuchus would be one of the brightest stars in the sky.Therefore, it is particularly important to use WISE to observe the region.
