X-Ray Binaries Blowing Bubbles


Massive stars like the primary stars in High-Mass X-Ray Binaries blow a very strong wind that sweeps out a bubble within the interstellar medium.

NGC 2359

But what if the star is moving through the interstellar medium, like a boat speeding through the water...

Vela X-1

Linear stability analysis suggests that if the shock fronts are radiatively cooling, the bowshock will be dynamically unstable to clumping...