ESOcast Light 223: Hot Stars are Plagued by Giant Magnetic Spots

Hot Stars are Plagued by Giant Magnetic Spots Using ESO telescopes, astronomers have discovered giant spots on the surfaces of extremely hot stars hidden in stellar clusters. Not only are these stars plagued by spots, some also experience superflares… …explosions of energy several million times more energetic than similar eruptions in the Sun. The spots on these stars are large and bright, unlike the smaller and dark spots on our Sun, but both are caused by magnetic fields. As the hot stars rotate, the spots on the surface come and go, causing visible changes in brightness. The findings help scientists better understand these puzzling stars and open doors to resolving other mysteries of stellar astronomy. .