The image twin stars of the binary system glowed brightly on the holographic display of the Astrometrics lab. The functionality of the display was as practicable as it was remarkable to behold for the young red haired Ensign.
All the sensor information was preliminary at this point. All the telemetry that existed thus far had mainly been gathered during their approach to the destination. The fortune of getting closer to the destination was twofold; first it didn't take so long for the sensor data to return and secondly once it did it was all the more clearer.
The binary system had peaked his interest because of the relationship of the two stars. The first, already a red giant had consumed its fuel too quickly in life, because of such it was already close to its death throes at 80 Million years old. Its companion was fairing much better, a dense cooler star it would be looking forward to a much longer life.
What had interested Thomas was as the Red giant had expanded to the point its gravitational influence on its own outer layers was becoming compromised to its companion. The far larger star had taken on a shape closer to that of an earth fruit known as a pear. The elongated end always facing the smaller denser star as they danced around one another in orbit, whiffs of gas from this closest point abandoning its host caught by the gravitation attraction of the smaller star. The gas encircling the smaller star like water being sucked down a drain before being absorbed into its own outer folds.
Thomas knew given enough time such an effect should cause a nova to occur. That was why the display was running a projected simulation at a year to a second, the ensign occupying himself with other incoming information on one of the more traditional monitors as the simulation played itself out. After 40 minutes the denser star finally reached its critical mass and ejected the gathered energy into the space around it, the astrometrics lab engulfed in a simulated nuclear detonation as the simulation reached its cataclysmic conclusion.
While in the safe confines of the astrometrics lab it was a beautiful thing to behold, it was simulation of disaster for anything remotely close to the system. Fortunately at an estimated 2,400 years until it naturally occurred there was little for Thomas or any local inhabitants to fear in the near future.
Tidying up the data as he prepared to compile it as a report he noticed how poor the neutrino readings were returning compared to the rest of the scan data. Tapping the console like one would tap an ancient mechanical gauge to see if the needle was stuck resulted in no change. Adding a note to the report that the long range neutrino sensors appeared ineffective he transferred the information to a PADD adding it to his daily report.
Done for the day he stood up convinced that even if there were 10 Charons there would still be enough information to digest and discover to occupy each in the busy little pocket of space they were quickly approaching, a fact he found most gratifying.
=/\= End Log =/\=
Ensign Thomas Clipper
Assistant Science Officer
USS Charon
