Scientists photograph a vampiric sandwich-shaped object in deep space

A new study that is yet to be peer-reviewed is claiming astronomers have located an object in deep space that looks similar to a cosmic sandwich.

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That object is a star nicknamed "Dracula's Chivito," and according to astronomers behind the discovery the star appears to have "fangs", and was named after a sandwich that's Uruguay's national dish. The team behind the study states the star is still quite young in its development as it's surrounded by a protoplanetary disk that contains high quantities of gas and dust. Additionally, the astronomical object appears side-on from Earth's perspective, giving it a sandwich-like appearance.

According to astronomers, Dracula's Chivito is estimated to have 2.5 solar masses, which means 2.5 times the mass of our Sun, while also having a higher temperature than our Sun at approximately 8,000 Kelvin, versus 5,788 Kelvin. The researchers wrote that Dracula's Chivito is the "largest edge-on protoplanetary disk discovered to date" as it is 1,650 astronomical units (AU) in size (1AU = the distance between Earth and the Sun). Additionally, astronomers estimated Dracula's Chivito protoplanetary disk is about 0.2 solar masses.

So, what about the "fangs"? According to the team, these seemingly sharp objects coming out of the star's north side are caused by the remnants of its envelope that formed during the star's early years. These "fangs" are now fading but are a telltale sign the star is still quite young.

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