Scientists have discovered 84 mysterious objects in space that appear to behave unlike anything seen before.
Astronomers spotted the objects across six different galaxies, where they were giving off unusually low-energy X-rays but intense levels of ultraviolet radiation.
Researchers have dubbed them “hypersoft X-ray sources” because of the unusually low-energy X-rays they emit.
The objects were discovered using publicly available data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory archive.
Scientists say the discovery could potentially help answer two long-standing mysteries in astrophysics – what causes certain stars to eventually explode as Type Ia supernovae and what strips electrons from gas between stars in some galaxies.
Mustafa Muhibullah of the University of Alabama, who led the study, said: “We’ve never encountered a group of objects that act like this.
“Of course, the next step was to try to figure out what these things are.
“These clandestine X-ray sources are actually among the most energetic objects in galaxies, and they could be solving two cosmic mysteries at once.”
One possibility is that the objects are connected to white dwarfs – the dense remnants left behind after certain stars reach the end of their lives.
Scientists believe some white dwarfs that pull material from companion stars may eventually explode as Type Ia supernovae.
These explosions are particularly important to astronomers because they can be used to measure cosmic distances and helped scientists discover that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.
But astronomers have struggled to identify exactly which star systems eventually produce the explosions.
Study co-author Jimmy Irwin, also of the University of Alabama, said: “If we could find a way to spot these Type Ia supernova explosions before they go off, that would be really important. Right now, we study them after they’ve exploded, and astronomers have struggled to understand what is actually ignited.”
The newly discovered objects could also help explain another mystery – what causes gas between stars in some galaxies to lose its electrons.
The process, known as ionization, can affect how quickly stars form and influence how galaxies evolve.
Hot, massive stars are known to contribute to the process but do not fully explain it.
Researchers believe the intense ultraviolet radiation coming from the hypersoft X-ray sources could play an important role.
Scientists are now planning further observations to determine exactly what the mysterious objects are and investigate their possible role in shaping galaxies.
The study was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
