NASA's Chandra Observatory discovers new class of X-ray objects

Astronomers using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have identified a new class of celestial objects termed “hypersoft X-ray sources.” The researchers discovered 84 of these sources across six different galaxies, including the spiral galaxies M31 and M101, as well as four elliptical galaxies.

These objects are characterized by emitting unusually low-energy X-rays alongside intense levels of ultraviolet radiation. This unique signature makes them difficult to detect, as the high-energy ultraviolet radiation is often absorbed by interstellar gas. The team identified them by locating objects in the Chandra archive that appeared in low-energy X-ray images but vanished in higher-energy ones.

While the exact nature of these sources is still being studied, researchers suggest they likely involve a black hole, neutron star, or white dwarf pulling material from a companion star. The heating of this material produces the observed X-ray and ultraviolet emissions. The discovery may help address long-standing questions in astrophysics and suggests that large populations of similar binary systems have previously gone undetected.