Researchers from Kyoto University have observed a significant superflare event in the binary star system V1355 Orionis, located 400 light-years away in the Orion constellation. Using both ground-based and space-based telescopes, including the 3.8-m Seimei Telescope and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the team successfully captured high-resolution observations of the superflare, which initiated with a large, high-velocity prominence eruption. This eruption is believed to have led to Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), which can significantly impact the space weather around planets. The analysis indicated that the prominence eruption carried trillions of tons of material and exceeded the star’s escape velocity, suggesting the eruption was strong enough to break free from its gravitational pull.
This discovery offers valuable insights into the mechanisms behind superflares and their implications for planetary evolution and potentially life. Given that some stars exhibit superflares many times larger than the largest solar flares, understanding such phenomena could reveal much about the environments around forming planets and the conditions necessary for life. The findings were published on April 27, 2023, in The Astrophysical Journal by Shun Inoue and colleagues.
