Colossal tail trails dying star
The tail measures a massive 13 light years in length
A distant star that hurtles through space at extraordinary speeds has a huge, comet-like tail trailing in its wake, astronomers say.
spotted by Nasa's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (Galex) space telescope
about 350 light-years from Earth in a constellation known as Cetus
it races through space at 130km/s (80 miles per second)
The scientists said that the tail was made up of the material that Mira has been ejecting over a period of 30,000 years.
Studying the carbon, oxygen and other elements that make up the tail, the team said, could also provide an insight into how new solar systems and possibly even life are formed.
clipped from: news.bbc.co.uk 