Dancing with the Enemy

Tech Exlplorist
While testing a new subsystem on the SPHERE planet-hunting instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, astronomers were able to capture dramatic details of the turbulent stellar relationship in the binary star R Aquarii with unprecedented clarity — even compared to observations from Hubble.
This spectacular image — the second instalment in ESO’s R Aquarii Week — shows intimate details of the dramatic stellar duo making up the binary star R Aquarii.
Though most binary stars are bound in a graceful waltz by gravity, the relationship between the stars of R Aquarii is far less serene.
Despite its diminutive size, the smaller of the two stars in this pair is steadily stripping material from its dying companion — a red giant.