The Digital Press

Stellar bowshock nebulae form when fast stellar winds collide with surrounding gas, offering a new way to measure how much mass massive stars lose. This study analyzes the properties of stars at the center of these nebulae, focusing on their temperatures, rotations, and binary status to better understand stellar mass loss.

Why it matters: Measuring mass loss in massive stars is key to understanding their evolution and the formation of neutron stars and black holes.

The big picture: Bowshock nebulae provide an independent method to evaluate wind-driven mass loss in O and early B stars.

Stunning stat: At least 60% of bowshock stars are binaries, and 23% are runaway stars moving faster than 25 km/s.

The stakes: Runaway stars are mostly binaries, supporting dynamical ejection as the main mechanism, affecting stellar population dynamics.