Key Facts

• A heart-shaped cloud of dust and gas was found coming from Mira A, a red giant star.
• Mira A is 300 light-years away from Earth and part of a binary star system in the Cetus constellation.
• The volume of material released was about 100 times more than expected and equivalent to seven Earth masses.
• Mira A is a variable star, meaning its brightness changes over time.
• Observations showed two plumes creating the heart shape, with dust on the outside edges.
• The expanding cloud may affect its companion star, Mira B, by gathering ejected material.
• Research was done using data from the Very Large Telescope and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile.
• This study helps understand how aging stars lose mass and can contribute to forming new star systems.