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[[Image:White Dwarves'.jpg‎ ‎|thumb|left|White Dwarf Stars in M4]]

[[Image:White Dwarves'.jpg‎ ‎|thumb|left|White Dwarf Stars in M4]]

==Observations of White Dwarves==

==Observations of White Dwarfs==

There are several ways to observe white dwarf stars. The first white dwarf to be discovered was found because it is a companion star to Sirius, a bright star in the constellation Canis Major. In 1844, astronomer Friedrich Bessel noticed that Sirius had a slight back and forth motion, as if it was orbiting an unseen object. In 1863, the optician and telescope maker Alvan Clark spotted this mysterious object. This star was later determined to be a white dwarf. This pair are now referred to as Sirius A and B, B, being the white dwarf. The orbital period of this system is about 50 years.

There are several ways to observe white dwarf stars. The first white dwarf to be discovered was found because it is a companion star to Sirius, a bright star in the constellation Canis Major. In 1844, astronomer Friedrich Bessel noticed that Sirius had a slight back and forth motion, as if it was orbiting an unseen object. In 1863, the optician and telescope maker Alvan Clark spotted this mysterious object. This star was later determined to be a white dwarf. This pair are now referred to as Sirius A and B, B, being the white dwarf. The orbital period of this system is about 50 years.

The Hubble Space Telescope, with its 2.4 meter mirror and advanced optics, has been successfully viewing white dwarfs with its Wide Field and Planetary Camera. In August of 1995, this camera observed more than 75 white dwarfs in the globular cluster M4 in the constellation Scorpius. These white dwarfs were so faint that the brightest of them was no more luminous than a 100 watt light bulb seen at the moon's distance. M4 is located 7,000 light years away, but is the nearest globular cluster to Earth. It is also approximately 14 billion years old, which is why so many of its stars are near the end of their lives.

The Hubble Space Telescope, with its 2.4 meter mirror and advanced optics, has been successfully viewing white dwarfs with its Wide Field and Planetary Camera. In August of 1995, this camera observed more than 75 white dwarfs in the globular cluster M4 in the constellation Scorpius. These white dwarfs were so faint that the brightest of them was no more luminous than a 100 watt light bulb seen at the moon's distance. M4 is located 7,000 light years away, but is the nearest globular cluster to Earth. It is also approximately 14 billion years old, which is why so many of its stars are near the end of their lives.

 

[[Category:Astronomy]]

[[Category:Astronomy]]