Scientists study stars through their music

Who says you can't mix physics with poetry in studying sun-like stars?

 

Scientists are using asteroseismology to measure distant planetary systems with Sun-like stars by measuring their own internal music.

 

"Instead of examining occasional, fitful tremors, sun-like stars have a deep resonance. The internal sound waves of the star are trapped inside, moving back and forth," science site io9.com said.

 

Eventually, it said they achieve a specific vibration, similar to a musical note resonates in a tuning fork.

 

Such vibration causes the outside of the star to pulse, gently, like it's breathing, it added.

 

By tracking this resonance, researchers are able to find its size, and then track its light and motion to detect planets.

 

"The deeper the resonance, the larger the star," io9.com said.

 

Also, io9.com pointed out asteroseismology is different from the geoseismology where scientists examine occasional, fitful tremors. — TJD, GMA News