{"id":374816,"date":"2026-02-24T06:07:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T20:07:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=967150"},"modified":"2026-02-24T06:07:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T20:07:28","slug":"young-sun-caught-blowing-bubbles-by-nasas-chandra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=374816","title":{"rendered":"Young \u2018Sun\u2019 Caught Blowing Bubbles by NASA\u2019s Chandra"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-article-hero-header nasa-gb-align-full bg-carbon-90 width-full maxw-full color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-article-hero-header\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper width-full maxw-full minh-tablet grid-container minh-tablet flex-column padding-0\">\n<div class=\"hds-foreground-wrapper display-flex flex-direction-column\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block margin-top-auto width-full maxw-desktop-lg padding-y-9 padding-x-3 desktop:padding-x-3 z-400\">\n<div class=\"z-400 grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-7 z-400\">\n<div class=\"margin-0\">\n<div class=\"label color-spacesuit-white margin-bottom-2\">7 Min Read<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"heading-41 line-height-md color-spacesuit-white-important\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tYoung \u2018Sun\u2019 Caught Blowing Bubbles by NASA\u2019s Chandra\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-left mobile-skrim-top z-200\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1044\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?w=1536\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536\" alt=\"HD 61005 in X-ray and Infrared light.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"eager\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg 3600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=300,204 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=768,522 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=1024,696 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=1536,1044 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=2048,1392 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=400,272 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=600,408 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=900,612 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=1200,815 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=2000,1359 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-y-3 padding-x-3\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block padding-x-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>For the first time, a much younger version of the Sun has been caught red-handed blowing bubbles in the galaxy, by astronomers using NASA\u2019s Chandra X-ray Observatory.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-image-before-after\">\n<div class=\"NasaBlocksImageBeforeAfterBlock grid-container grid-row grid-container-block bg-spacesuit-white padding-x-0 padding-y-6 margin-x-auto nasa-block-align-full\">\n<div class=\"padding-x-0 grid-col-12\">\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- curtain view --><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-comparison-slider-parent comparison-view-active\">\n\t\t\t\t<img-comparison-slider><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" slot=\"first\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg\" alt=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" slot=\"second\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg\" alt=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/img-comparison-slider><\/p>\n<div class=\"curtain-view-label-wrapper curtain-view-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"curtain-view-label\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"curtain-view-label-wrapper curtain-view-after\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"curtain-view-label\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- toggle view --><\/p>\n<div class=\"toggle-comparison-parent\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- if image_1 is active the show image_1 --><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover toggle-view-image toggle-view-before-image toggle-view-active\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"497\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?w=768\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"HD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light, unlabeled.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg 7200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=300,194 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=768,497 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=1024,662 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=1536,994 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=2048,1325 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=400,259 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=600,388 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=900,582 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=1200,776 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=2000,1294 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">HD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light, unlabeled.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">X-ray: NASA\/CXC\/John Hopkins Univ.\/C.M. Lisse et al.; Infrared: NASA\/ESA\/STIS; Optical: NSF\/NoirLab\/CTIO\/DECaPS2; Image Processing: NASA\/CXC\/SAO\/N. Wolk<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<!-- if image_2 is active the show image_2 --><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover toggle-view-image toggle-view-after-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"497\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?w=768\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"HD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light, labeled.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg 7200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=300,194 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=768,497 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=1024,662 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=1536,994 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=2048,1325 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=400,259 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=600,388 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=900,582 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=1200,776 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=2000,1294 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">HD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light, labeled.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">X-ray: NASA\/CXC\/John Hopkins Univ.\/C.M. Lisse et al.; Infrared: NASA\/ESA\/STIS; Optical: NSF\/NoirLab\/CTIO\/DECaPS2; Image Processing: NASA\/CXC\/SAO\/N. Wolk<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"toggle-button-container padding-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"toggle-view-before-button toggle-comparison-view-active margin-right-1px\"><span class=\"toggle-view-before-label\"><\/span><\/button><button class=\"toggle-view-after-button margin-left-1px\"><span class=\"toggle-view-after-label\"><\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- 2-up view --><\/p>\n<div class=\"two-up-view position-relative bg-carbon-10\">\n<div class=\"grid-row\">\n<div class=\"grid-col flex-3 padding-top-4 padding-bottom-4\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"497\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?w=768\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"HD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light, unlabeled.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg 7200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=300,194 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=768,497 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=1024,662 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=1536,994 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=2048,1325 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=400,259 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=600,388 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=900,582 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=1200,776 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere.jpg?resize=2000,1294 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">HD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light, unlabeled.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">X-ray: NASA\/CXC\/John Hopkins Univ.\/C.M. Lisse et al.; Infrared: NASA\/ESA\/STIS; Optical: NSF\/NoirLab\/CTIO\/DECaPS2; Image Processing: NASA\/CXC\/SAO\/N. Wolk<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"bg-spacesuit-white width-2px\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col flex-3 padding-top-4 padding-bottom-4\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"497\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?w=768\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large\" alt=\"HD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light, labeled.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg 7200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=300,194 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=768,497 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=1024,662 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=1536,994 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=2048,1325 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=400,259 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=600,388 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=900,582 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=1200,776 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-labeled.jpg?resize=2000,1294 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">HD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light, labeled.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">X-ray: NASA\/CXC\/John Hopkins Univ.\/C.M. Lisse et al.; Infrared: NASA\/ESA\/STIS; Optical: NSF\/NoirLab\/CTIO\/DECaPS2; Image Processing: NASA\/CXC\/SAO\/N. Wolk<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"curtain-view-label-wrapper curtain-view-before\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"curtain-view-label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"curtain-view-label-wrapper curtain-view-after\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"curtain-view-label\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- Under image content --><\/p>\n<div class=\"grid-row flex-row title-row padding-x-2 desktop:padding-x-0 padding-top-2\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6\">\n<h2 class=\"before-after-title margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHD 61005 in X-ray, infrared, and optical light\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 button-row margin-bottom-3 tablet:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- Update onClick handlers --><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button\n\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Curtain view\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"comparison-view curtain-view-button comparison-view-active padding-bottom-1 margin-left-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>Curtain<\/button><button\n\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Toggle view\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"comparison-view toggle-view-button padding-bottom-1 margin-left-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>Toggle<\/button><button\n\t\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"Two-Up view\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"comparison-view two-up-view-button padding-bottom-1 margin-left-1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>2-Up<\/button>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t<!-- Image detail area --><\/p>\n<div class=\"image-details-panel padding-x-0\">\n<div class=\"before-after-details-divider padding-y-2\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- OnClick handleImageDetailsClick --><button class=\"image-details-toggle-button\"><span>Image Details<\/span><!-- style - if showImageDetails, then transform rotate(180deg), else none --><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"14\" height=\"15\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 15\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle cx=\"7\" cy=\"7.5\" r=\"6.5\" stroke=\"#58585B\" \/><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.0002 8.23854L9.26318 5.95996L9.80019 6.50067L7.0002 9.31996L4.2002 6.50067L4.73721 5.95996L7.0002 8.23854Z\" fill=\"#58585B\" \/><\/svg><\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<!-- if showImageDetails, then display --><\/p>\n<div id=\"image-details\" class=\" padding-x-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-row\">\n<div class=\"grid-col flex-2\">\n<div class=\"image-details-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThese images show the star HD 61005 with X-rays from the Chandra X-ray Observatory as well as infrared data from Hubble Space Telescope. A view in optical light from a telescope in Chile shows the larger field that HD 61005 is located in. Astronomers recently used Chandra to discover an \u201castrosphere,\u201d a wind-blown bubble, around HD 61005, the first seen around a star like the Sun.  \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- File List --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The bubble \u2013 called an \u201castrosphere\u201d \u2013 completely surrounds the juvenile star. Winds from the star\u2019s surface are blowing up the bubble and filling it with hot gas as it expands into much cooler galactic gas and dust surrounding the star. The Sun has a similar bubble around it, which scientists call the heliosphere, created by the solar wind. It extends far beyond the planets in our solar system and protects Earth from cosmic radiation.<\/p>\n<p>This is the first image of an astrosphere astronomers have obtained around a star similar to the Sun. It shows slightly extended emission, rather than a single point of light as seen for other such stars.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have been studying our Sun\u2019s astrosphere for decades, but we can\u2019t see it from the outside,\u201d said Carey Lisse of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, who led the study, which published [day of week] in the Astrophysical Journal. \u201cThis new Chandra result about a similar star\u2019s astrosphere teaches us about the shape of the Sun\u2019s, and how it has changed over billions of years as the Sun evolves and moves through the galaxy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The star is called HD 61005 and is located about 120 light-years from Earth, making it relatively close. HD 61005 has roughly the same mass and temperature as the Sun, but it is much younger with an age of about 100 million years, compared to the Sun\u2019s age of about 5 billion years.<\/p>\n<p>Because it is so young, HD 61005 has a much stronger wind of particles blowing from its surface that travels about 3 times faster and is about 25 times denser than the wind from the Sun. This amplifies the process of astrosphere bubble-blowing and mimics how our Sun was behaving several billion years ago.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"HD 61005 in X-ray and Infrared light.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg 3600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=300,204 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=768,522 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=1024,696 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=1536,1044 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=2048,1392 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=400,272 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=600,408 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=900,612 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=1200,815 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-xray-infrared.jpg?resize=2000,1359 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">HD 61005 in X-ray and Infrared light.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">X-ray: NASA\/CXC\/John Hopkins Univ.\/C.M. Lisse et al.; Infrared: NASA\/ESA\/STIS; Image Processing: NASA\/CXC\/SAO\/N. Wolk<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe are impacted by the Sun every day, not only through the light it gives off, but also by the wind it sends out into space that can affect our satellites and potentially astronauts traveling to the Moon or Mars,\u201d said co-author Scott Wolk of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard &amp; Smithsonian (CfA). \u201cThis image of the astrosphere around HD 61005 gives us important information about what the Sun\u2019s wind may have been like early in its evolution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Astronomers have nicknamed the HD 61005 star system the \u201cMoth\u201d because it is surrounded by large amounts of dust patterned similarly to the shape of a moth\u2019s wings when viewed through infrared telescopes. The wings are formed from material left behind after the formation of the star, similar to the Kuiper Belt in our own solar system. Observations of these wings with NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope showed that the interstellar matter surrounding HD 61005 is about a thousand times denser than that around the Sun.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 1990s, astronomers have been trying to capture an image of an astrosphere around a Sun-like star. Chandra was able to detect the astrosphere around HD 61005 because it is producing X-rays as the stellar wind runs into cooler local interstellar medium dust and gas that surrounds the star. The dense local galactic environment, combined with Chandra\u2019s high-resolution X-ray vision, the strong stellar wind, and the star\u2019s proximity, all helped create a strong X-ray signal, allowing discovery of an astrosphere around HD 61005. It has a diameter about 200 times the distance from Earth to the Sun.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a saying about a moth being drawn to a flame,\u201d said co-author Brad Snios, formerly of CfA and now at MITRE, a non-profit that participates in federally funded research. \u201cIn the case of HD 61005, the \u2018Moth\u2019 can\u2019t easily escape from the flame because it was born around it and might be sustained by a disk around it.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"An artist\u2019s illustration depicts the astrosphere in more detail, including a bow shock in blue \u2014 akin to a sonic boom in front of a supersonic plane \u2014 that is caused by the motion of the star and its astrosphere as it pushes against and flies through gas in interstellar space.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=2048,1152 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=900,506 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/astrosphere-illus.jpg?resize=2000,1125 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">An artist\u2019s illustration depicts the astrosphere in more detail, including a bow shock in blue \u2014 akin to a sonic boom in front of a supersonic plane \u2014 that is caused by the motion of the star and its astrosphere as it pushes against and flies through gas in interstellar space.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA\/Goddard Space Flight Center, Conceptual Image Lab<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Sun not only likely passed through a phase of development similar to HD 61005 when it was younger, it also likely traveled through a denser region of dust and gas than where the Sun is currently located, strengthening the connection with HD 61005.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is amazing to think that our protective heliosphere would only extend out to the orbit of Saturn if we were in the part of the galaxy where the Moth is located, or, conversely, that the Moth would have an astrosphere 10 times wider larger than the Sun\u2019s if it were located here,\u201d Lisse said.<\/p>\n<p>HD 61005 is not visible from Earth with the unaided eye, but it is close enough that skywatchers could see it using binoculars.<\/p>\n<p>The first hints of X-ray emission from the Moth\u2019s central star were based on a brief, one-hour-long Chandra observation of HD 61005 in 2014. In 2021, astronomers observed HD 61005 for almost 19 hours, which allowed the detection of the extended astrospheric structure.<\/p>\n<p>NASA&#8217;s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory&#8217;s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n<p>Image credit: X-ray: NASA\/CXC\/John Hopkins Univ.\/C.M. Lisse et al.; Infrared: NASA\/ESA\/STIS; Optical: NSF\/NoirLab\/CTIO\/DECaPS2; Image Processing: NASA\/CXC\/SAO\/N. Wolk<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about Chandra, visit:<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/chandra\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/chandra<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/chandra.si.edu\/photo\/2026\/protoc\/\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Read more from NASA\u2019s Chandra X-ray Observatory<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/chandra\">https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/chandra<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/chandra.si.edu\/\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/chandra.si.edu<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visual Description<\/h2>\n<p>This release contains three main images, each offering a different take on the astrosphere surrounding a young star called HD 61005. An astrosphere is a wind-blown bubble full of gas and dust particles that encases a star as it pushes through interstellar space.<\/p>\n<p>In this release, an optical image from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile shows HD 61005 in the context of its star field. Here, the star in question appears as a glowing, gleaming white dot surrounded by other glowing dots of similar and smaller sizes. The image is utterly packed with specks of light in shades of blue, white, gold, green, and red. At this distance, in an optical observation, the star&#8217;s astrosphere is not discernible.<\/p>\n<p>The second image is a composite, which presents a close-up of HD 61005 using infrared data from Hubble, and X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Here, the spherical star has a brilliant core bursting with white X-ray light. Ringing the white core is a neon purple glow; the astrosphere surrounding the star. A distinguishing feature of HD 61005 is a white, wedge-shaped tail with neon blue tips, which trails the fast-moving star. This tail is dusty material left behind after the star&#8217;s formation. The wedge, or wing shape of the tail has earned the star the nickname &#8216;Moth&#8217; by astronomers spying it through infrared telescopes.<\/p>\n<p>The third image in this release is an artist&#8217;s illustration of an astrosphere in action. Here, a large, pale purple ball soars from our right toward our left, into a misty brown cloud. The purple ball appears to be protected by a blue force field, which pushes the brown cloud aside as the ball dives in. In this illustration, the purple ball represents the astrosphere surrounding a star and the brown cloud is interstellar gas. The blue force field is a bow shock, a curved free-floating shock wave, similar to the sonic boom that travels in front of a supersonic plane. The bow shock is caused by the motion of the star and its astrosphere hurtling through space. This illustration features a series of faint lines representing wind patterns from HD 61005, but does not show the tail of debris found behind and beside HD 61005.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Media Contact<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Megan Watzke<br \/><\/strong>Chandra X-ray Center<br \/>Cambridge, Mass.<br \/>617-496-7998<br \/><a href=\"mailto:mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu\">mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Joel Wallace<\/strong><br \/>Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama<br \/>256-544-0034<br \/><a href=\"mailto:joel.w.wallace@nasa.gov\">joel.w.wallace@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 article_a hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 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Wallace<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"mailto:&#106;o&#038;%23101;l&#038;%2346;&#038;%23119;&#038;%2346;&#038;%23119;a&#038;%23108;l&#038;%2397;&#038;%2399;e&#038;%2364;n&#038;%2397;&#038;%23115;a&#038;%2346;&#038;%23103;&#038;%23111;v\">&#106;o&#101;l.&#119;.wa&#108;&#108;ac&#101;&#64;nasa.g&#111;&#118;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n<div class=\"subheading\">Location<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-8\"><a class=\"hds-location-tag-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/marshall\/\"><span class=\"hds-meta-heading\">Marshall Space Flight Center<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"article-tags\">\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/chandra\" rel=\"noopener\">Chandra X-Ray Observatory<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/astrophysics\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Astrophysics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/hubble\" rel=\"noopener\">Hubble Space Telescope<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/marshall\/marshall-science-research-and-projects\/marshall-astrophysics\/\">Marshall Astrophysics<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/marshall-space-flight-center\/\">Marshall Space Flight Center<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/universe\/stars\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Stars<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/universe\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Universe<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\n<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\">\n<h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/chandra\/nasa-telescopes-spot-surprisingly-mature-cluster-in-early-universe\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/protoc.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/protoc.jpg 2220w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/protoc.jpg?resize=300,280 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/protoc.jpg?resize=768,716 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/protoc.jpg?resize=1024,954 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/protoc.jpg?resize=1536,1432 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/protoc.jpg?resize=2048,1909 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/protoc.jpg?resize=400,373 400w, 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xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4 weeks ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/ixpe\/nasa-ixpes-longest-observation-solves-black-hole-jets-mystery\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"263\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg 4952w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=300,263 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=768,673 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=1024,898 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=1536,1346 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=2048,1795 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=400,351 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=600,526 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=900,789 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=1200,1052 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/perseus-cxo-ixpe.jpg?resize=2000,1753 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">4 min read<\/div>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\">\n<h3 class=\"related-article-title\">NASA IXPE\u2019s Longest Observation Solves Black Hole Jets Mystery<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 months ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/black-hole-eats-star\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/glast\/news\/2025\/Longest_GRB_Animation_Still.jpg\" ><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">11 min read<\/div>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\">\n<h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Black Hole Eats Star: NASA Missions Discover Record-Setting Blast<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-md color-carbon-60\">Editor\u2019s note, Dec. 11, 2025: This story was updated to include an additional partner\u2019s research&hellip;<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 months ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-topic-cards nasa-gb-align-full maxw-full width-full padding-y-6 padding-x-3 color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-topic-cards\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block-lg padding-x-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-row flex-align-center margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"desktop:grid-col-8 margin-bottom-2 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"label color-carbon-60 margin-bottom-2\">Keep Exploring<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"heading-36 line-height-sm\">Discover More Topics From NASA<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-gap-2 hds-topic-cards-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/chandra\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n<div>\n<h3 class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Chandra<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"margin-bottom-0 margin-top-2 color-carbon-20-important\">Space Telescope<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/nasas-chandra-x-ray-600-jpg.webp\" ><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/hubble\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n<div>\n<h3 class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Hubble Space Telescope<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"margin-bottom-0 margin-top-2 color-carbon-20-important\">Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/content\/dam\/science\/missions\/hubble\/videos\/hubble-banner-animation-nov-2025-compressed.gif\" ><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/universe\/stars\/\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n<div>\n<h3 class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Stars<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"margin-bottom-0 margin-top-2 color-carbon-20-important\">Astronomers estimate that the universe could contain up to one septillion stars \u2013 that\u2019s a one followed by 24 zeros.&hellip;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/may102022-x1pt5flare-171-131-304-jpg.webp\" ><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/chandra\/young-sun-caught-blowing-bubbles-by-nasas-chandra\/#\" class=\"mobile:grid-col-12 tablet:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-3 topic-card margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-topic-card hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"skrim-overlay skrim-overlay-dark skrim-left mobile-skrim-top padding-3 display-flex flex-align-end flex-justify-start z-200\">\n<div>\n<p class=\"hds-topic-card-heading heading-29 color-spacesuit-white line-height-sm margin-top-0 margin-bottom-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Solar System<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"color-nasa-red\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/plugins\/nasa-blocks\/assets\/images\/topic-cards\/topic-card-sample-4.jpg\" ><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the first time, a much younger version of the Sun has been caught red-handed blowing bubbles in the galaxy, by astronomers using NASA\u2019s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The bubble \u2013 called an \u201castrosphere\u201d \u2013 completely surrounds the juvenile star. Winds from the star\u2019s surface are blowing up the bubble and filling it with hot gas [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15612,15670,15615,15672,15673,15675,15638],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-374816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-astrophysics","category-chandra-x-ray-observatory","category-hubble-space-telescope","category-marshall-astrophysics","category-marshall-space-flight-center","category-stars","category-the-universe"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=374816"}],"version-history":[{"count":43,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":376154,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374816\/revisions\/376154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=374816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=374816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=374816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}