THE ALMOST PERFECT SPHERE EVER OBSERVED IN NATURE IS A FARAWAY STAR

The star Kepler 11145123 has been found to be the roundest natural object ever measured in the entire universe. It is located at a distance of 5,000 light-years from the earth; and is significantly rounder than the sun, says the study.

Round celestial bodies like the planets and stars bulge slightly at their equators because of the centrifugal force. The researchers found that though Kepler 11145123 is 1.86 million miles in diameter, its equatorial and polar diameters differ by only 3.7 miles. This makes this star the roundest natural object ever measured.

Laurent Gizon and team from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research and the University of Göttingen in Germany observed the natural oscillations of Kepler 11145123 for over a period of 51 months (from 2009 to 2013) through the NASA’s Kepler space telescope. The reason for its roundness is partly because it rotates approximately three times slower than the sun. And partly because of its magnetic environment which flattens it, stated the researchers. They also added that there is no guarantee that this star will stay perfectly round forever.