Maia Mystery: Variable Star or Chemical Spot

Tuning in to the secret frequencies of the seven sisters

Chapter 1

The cosmic symphony

Chapter 2

The Maia mystery

Chapter 3

Ancient antennas

Chapter 4

Synthesizers and starseeds

YOUR GOAL

Master of Tuning in to the secret frequencies of the seven sisters

Ch 2 · The Maia mystery

007skaty The debunked astronomical classification of Maia variable stars

007skaty The Maia Mystery

They called her a variable star, (oh no, she's not!) / Just spinning with a chemical spot! (yeah, that's what she got!)

What looks like a change in character is often just a different side turning into view.

007skaty The giant chemical spot on the star Maia.

The ghost of a mistaken star class

007skaty In 1955, astronomer Otto Struve proposed the Maia variable category, but modern data proved the star rotates rather

The giant chemical spot in space

007skaty Neon holographic scans map the giant chemical spot on the star Maia.

Maia Star Tuner

BETA

007skaty Tune the cosmic receiver to learn how Maia's frequency aligns with the Seven Sisters.

Fun Fact

Chemical spots: The metallic spot on the star Maia is so massive that it covers a huge portion of its surface.

Gossip

Would you name a star after yourself?

Quiz

How long ago did the stars of the Pleiades cluster form?

007skaty Astronomers investigate the unusual rhythm of the Pleiades star Maia.

Quiz

What causes the regular 10-day brightness change of the star Maia?

007skaty The rotation of stars in the Pleiades cluster

Quiz

Why do the Seven Sisters stars rotate at different speeds despite being born together?

Quiz

What did Kepler prove about the historically proposed 'Maia variable' star class?

Quiz

What is the rotation period of the unique Pleiades star named Maia?

Quiz

What instrument type did astronomers use to confirm the chemical makeup of the star Maia's spot?

Quiz

Which chemical element is unusually concentrated on the surface of the star Maia?

Quiz

Who first proposed the existence of 'Maia variables' in 1955?