Diamond star thrills astronomers

[Aught3]

Twinkling in the sky is a diamond star of 10 billion trillion trillion carats, astronomers have discovered.

The cosmic diamond is a chunk of crystallised carbon, 4,000 km across, some 50 light-years from the Earth in the constellation Centaurus.

It's the compressed heart of an old star that was once bright like our Sun but has since faded and shrunk.

Astronomers have decided to call the star "Lucy" after the Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3492919.stm

 

[Anachronous Rex]

This may qualify as the coolest thing ever.

We should use it as a library world once we establish our galactic empire. I imagine there are few safer places in the universe then a cavern carved into one of these.

 

[Giliell]

I'm wondering how it would look on a ring

 

[Shaedys]

I'm wondering how it would look on a ring

Could try tying a rope ankered into the star and making the rope go over your finger.
Just say your actually towing the star.

 

[MRaverz]

No freaking way, this is Doctor Who stuff.

 

[Deleted member 499]

"Our Sun will become a diamond that truly is forever," says Metcalfe.

Does anyone have an idea what the surface pressure might be? The reason I ask is that if the pressure drops below about 2 GPa (I realise that isn't going to happen in the vast majority of the star which is why I'm only asking about the surface) then the diamond will degenerate to graphite, a slightly less romantic notion.

 

[nasher168]

Well if diamonds are able to be formed naturally on Earth, I would certainly expect them to be able to formed easily under the massive gravity in a star.

 

[Deleted member 499]

Well if diamonds are able to be formed naturally on Earth, I would certainly expect them to be able to formed easily under the massive gravity in a star.

I think you misunderstand me. I'm not saying they wouldn't form, I'm saying they may form and then decay, albeit only on the surface. Diamonds are only formed fairly deep inside the Earth, up to about 150Km depth. At the surface they are metastable, they exist for long periods of time but eventually decay to graphite.

 

[Pulsar]

Aught3, out of curiousity, why have you posted an article from six years ago?

 

[Aught3]

Aught3, out of curiousity, why have you posted an article from six years ago?

I didn't even notice

 

[Pulsar]

Aught3, out of curiousity, why have you posted an article from six years ago?

I didn't even notice

I tought so Still a cool story, of course.

 

[Womble]

Well if diamonds are able to be formed naturally on Earth, I would certainly expect them to be able to formed easily under the massive gravity in a star.

That they do, but at considerable depth within the earth. I'd have to look up the specifics as it's been a while.

 

[borrofburi]

Sounds like a rather useless hunk of rock that only has value because we like shiny things.

No freaking way, this is Doctor Who stuff.

That was my first thought.

 

[australopithecus]

Definately Doctor Who stuff.

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Midnight

 

[DepricatedZero]

Definately Doctor Who stuff.

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Midnight

That episode was wonderful, and I'm not sure if it was the Doctor(great line "what makes you special?" "I'm clever!") or simply the fact that the worst companion to date was left behind.

 

[Amerist]

Now that's clever. However, I have a feeling that once we get to it we'll discover that it's not quite like a terrestrial diamond -- I am reminded of moons, cheese, all that rot.

"For centuries it was believed that the moon was made of cheese. In the 20th Century man landed on the moon. Discovered it was made of rock. We have not returned since. BEHOLD. THE POWER OF CHEESE."

 

[Gnug215]

Uh, dibs!