SCP-037

Item #: SCP-037
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedure: SCP-037 is magnetically contained at Site-32. It is housed in a small subterranean room composed of a heat conducting, radiation-resistant polymer and evacuated of any atmosphere. Heat from the object is radiated into the surrounding rock. Should the integrity of the enclosure become compromised, the emergency system will generate a low power argon plasma shield until it is repaired. In the contingency of a [ACCESS DENIED].
Description: The artifact was discovered in 19██ above the Beaufort Sea at approximately the North Magnetic Pole. Intense electromagnetic interference was reported by Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert, followed by an extremely bright object descending toward the ocean from the sky. The SCPS Guardian responded and discovered the object wavering in an erratic trajectory about 200 m above the surface of the water. Once containment procedures were devised it was transported to Site-32 for study.
SCP-037 is apparently a star approximately 5 cm (2 in) in diameter, with a luminosity of about 1*10-12 times that of our sun and a surface temperature of about 5000 K (determined by UBVRI analysis). The age and origin of SCP-037 is unknown, however, its nuclear activity is being carefully monitored for irregularities. Spectral analysis and comparison to known celestial bodies suggest that it is a typical (other than its uncharacteristic size) star quickly undergoing the transition to a red giant, though it is unknown if established theories of star formation and aging apply. It is thought to have entered the Earth's magnetosphere via the North Magnetic Pole.
Containment and transport of SCP-037 have been achieved by the use of powerful electromagnets, to which the artifact aligns itself according to its own magnetic field. The primary challenge to containment thus far has been its powerful electromagnetic emissions, which are intense enough to be easily seen by the naked eye from high Earth orbit. Its current enclosure is located deep underground to prevent detection and to facilitate radiative cooling into the surrounding bedrock. In effect, the entire facility and the surrounding volume of the Earth's crust act as a massive heat sink.
Over ██ years of study, the star has undergone a shift in emitted EM radiation, suggesting that it is undergoing stellar evolution at a vastly accelerated rate. If standard stellar models hold up, this will soon result in an increase in radius by a factor of 100 to 300 times, and a concomitant increase in radiated energy. Emergency containment contingencies are being studied for that eventuality. Further progression of the star's life cycle will likely terminate in a stellar nova, which is estimated to have a yield of ███████████. Extrapolations predict this to occur in ███████████. Research is underway for a method to arrest this development or to transport SCP-037 a safe distance from the planet before it occurs.
Category:Series 1