Strange shock wave around dead star surprises astronomers

The inset image shows dead star RXJ0528+2838 creating a shock wave as it moves through space. A strong outflow expelled from a star is usually the cause of such a shock wave. However, in the case of RXJ0528+2838, astronomers discovered that the shock wave can’t be explained by any known mechanism. Image via ESO/ K. Ilkiewicz and S. Scaringi et al./ PanSTARRS.

ESO published this original story on January 12, 2026. Edits by EarthSky.

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