Blue straggler 1

Blue straggler
Blue stragglers (BSS) are
main-sequence stars in open or
globular clusters that are more
luminous and bluer than stars at the
main-sequence turn-off point for the
cluster. Blue stragglers were first
discovered by Allan Sandage in 1953
while performing photometry of the
stars in the globular cluster M3.
Standard theories of stellar evolution Sketch of Hertzsprung–Russell diagram of a
hold that the position of a star on the globular cluster, showing blue stragglers

Hertzsprung–Russell diagram should

be determined almost entirely by the
initial mass of the star and its age. In a
cluster, stars all formed at
approximately the same time, and thus
in an H–R diagram for a cluster, all
stars should lie along a clearly defined
curve set by the age of the cluster, with
the positions of individual stars on that
curve determined solely by their initial
mass. With masses two to three times
that of the rest of the main-sequence
cluster stars, blue stragglers seem to be
exceptions to this rule. The resolution This video shows the movement of blue straggler stars in globular clusters over time.

of this problem is likely related to

interactions between two or more stars in the dense confines of the clusters in which blue stragglers are found.

Formation
Several explanations have been put forth to explain the existence of blue stragglers. The simplest is that blue
stragglers formed later than the rest of the stars in the cluster, but evidence for this is limited. Another simple
proposal is that blue stragglers are either field stars which are not actually members of the clusters to which they
seem to belong, or are field stars which
Blue straggler 2

were captured by the cluster. This too

seems unlikely, as blue stragglers often
reside at the very center of the clusters
to which they belong. Another theory
is that blue stragglers are the result of
stars that come too close to another star
or similar mass object and collide.

A Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 6397, with a number of bright blue stragglers
present.

Cluster interactions
The two most viable explanations put forth for the existence of blue
stragglers both involve interactions between cluster members. One
explanation is that they are current or former binary stars that are in the
process of merging or have already done so. The merger of two stars
would create a single more massive star, potentially with a mass larger
than that of stars at the main-sequence turn-off point. While a star born
with a mass larger than that of stars at the turn-off point would have
already evolved off of the main sequence, a more massive star which
formed via merger would not have evolved as quickly. There is
evidence in favor of this view, notably that blue stragglers appear to be
much more common in dense regions of clusters, especially in the
cores of globular clusters. Since there are more stars per unit volume, The globular cluster NGC 6388, observed by
collisions and close encounters are far more likely in clusters than Hubble.

among field stars and calculations of the expected number of collisions

are consistent with the observed number of blue stragglers.
Blue straggler 3

One way to test this hypothesis is to study the pulsations of variable

blue stragglers. The asteroseismological properties of merged stars
may be measurably different from those of typical pulsating variables
of similar mass and luminosity. However, the measurement of
pulsations is very difficult, given the scarcity of variable blue
stragglers, the small photometric amplitudes of their pulsations and the
crowded fields in which these stars are often found. Some blue
stragglers have been observed to rotate quickly, with one example in
NGC 6752 is a globular cluster that contains a 47 Tucanae observed to rotate 75 times faster than the Sun, which is
high number of blue straggler stars. consistent with formation by collision.

The other explanation relies on mass transfer between two stars born in
a binary star system. The more massive of the two stars in the system will evolve first and as it expands, will
overflow its Roche lobe. Mass will quickly transfer from the initially more massive companion on to the less
massive and like the collision hypothesis, would explain why there would be main-sequence stars more massive than
other stars in the cluster which have already evolved off of the main sequence. Observations of blue stragglers have
found that some have significantly less carbon and oxygen in their photospheres than is typical, which is evidence of
their outer material having been dredged up from the interior of a companion.

Overall, there is evidence in favor of both collisions and mass transfer

between binary stars. In M3, 47 Tucanae and NGC 6752, both
mechanisms seem to be operating, with collisional blue stragglers
occupying the cluster cores and mass transfer blue stragglers at the
outskirts. The discovery of low-mass white dwarf companions around
two blue stragglers in the Kepler field suggests these two blue
stragglers gained mass via stable mass transfer.

Other types of stragglers

"Yellow stragglers" or "red stragglers" are stars with colors between
that of the turnoff and the red giant branch but brighter than the
47 Tucanae contains at least 21 blue stragglers
near its core. subgiant branch. Such stars have been identified in open and globular
star clusters. These stars may be former blue straggler stars that are
now evolving toward the giant branch.

References
Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and Contributors

Blue straggler  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=601862472  Contributors: 5 albert square, 68Kustom, Alex17nico, Algri, Andre Engels, AstroNomer, Chaheel Riens,
Edwinhubbel, Eugene chan, Feťour, Gdarin, Ghosttruck, Icairns, James McBride, Jmencisom, JohnOwens, JorisvS, Jstmf, Kogge, Ktr101, Marasama, Mnmngb, Moxy, Originalwana, Pauli133,
Pjedicke, RJHall, RicHard-59, Rjwilmsi, RobertLovesPi, Saravask, Schmloof, Scog, Shirimasen, Sicherlich, Sisnu, Smithbrenon, Srleffler, Stas1995, StringTheory11, That's Just It, Wetman,
WolfmanSF, 15 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Blue Straggler HRD globular cluster.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Blue_Straggler_HRD_globular_cluster.svg  License: Creative Commons
Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: User:RicHard-59
File:Evolution of globular clusters.ogv  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Evolution_of_globular_clusters.ogv  License: unknown  Contributors: ESO/NASA/ESA, L.
Calçada, F. Ferraro (University of Bologna)
Image:Ngc6397 hst blue straggler.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Ngc6397_hst_blue_straggler.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Francesco Ferraro (Bologna
Observatory), ESA, NASA
File:The globular cluster NGC 6388, observed by Hubble.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:The_globular_cluster_NGC_6388,_observed_by_Hubble.jpg  License:
Public domain  Contributors: Jmencisom
File:NGC 6752 HST.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:NGC_6752_HST.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0  Contributors: Fabian RRRR, Jmencisom
File:New VISTA snap of star cluster 47 Tucanae.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:New_VISTA_snap_of_star_cluster_47_Tucanae.jpg  License: unknown
 Contributors: Fabian RR, Stas1995

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