The researchers used data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton to see how the X-ray brightness of stars similar to the Sun behaves over time. (Image Source: NASA)Sun-like stars and their less massive cousins calm down surprisingly quickly after a turbulent youth, making the atmosphere more suitable for evolution of life, says a new study. Strong magnetic activity can also generate powerful eruptions of material from the star’s surface. Since stellar X-rays mirror magnetic activity, X-ray observations can tell astronomers about the high-energy environment around the star. To understand how quickly stellar magnetic activity level changes over time, astronomers need accurate ages for many different stars.

Source: Indian Express September 08, 2017 04:18 UTC