Astroseismology is the study of the oscillations of stars, which are caused by the star’s internal structure and composition. The first astroseismological studies were made in the early 19th century, but it was not until the mid-20th century that this field really began to take off. In recent years, there have been major advances in our understanding of stellar oscillations and their use as tracers of a star’s internal properties.
Stars are constantly oscillating due to their internal structure and composition. These oscillations are caused by different areas of the star contracting and expanding at different rates. As a result, each area produces a unique sound wave that travels through the star and can be detected from outside it. By studying these sound waves, astronomers can learn about a star’s interior structure and composition.
One of the most important techniques in astroseismology is called asteroseismic spectroscopy. This involves using telescopes to measure very precise changes in a star’s brightness over time. By analyzing these data, astronomers can determine how quickly different parts of the star are moving towards or away from us. This allows them to map out a 3D view of what’s going on inside the star!
Asteroseismology has become increasingly important in recent years as we’ve started to discover more and more planets around other stars (exoplanets). By studying the oscillations of stars with known exoplanets, we can learn about the size, mass, density, and other properties of those planets – even if they’re too far away for us to directly observe them with our telescopes.
So far, asteroseismology has been used to study all sorts of different kinds of stars, from bright giants like Betelgeuse to small dwarf stars like Proxima Centauri (which happens to be our nearest stellar neighbor!). And there’s still much more left to explore – who knows what exciting discoveries await us in this fascinating field?