NASA’s Chandra Discovers a Mysterious New Class of Cosmic Objects That Could Solve Two Longstanding Mysteries

NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory discovered 84 new cosmic objects, dubbed "hypersoft X-ray sources," across six galaxies. These objects emit high levels of ultraviolet radiation but low-intensity X-rays, which could help solve two long-standing mysteries related to star formation and universe expansion. The discovery was made using data from the Chandra archive, including the spiral Andromeda and Pinwheel galaxies, and the team identified these objects by comparing high- and low-energy X-ray images. The objects were found in both older and active star-forming regions, suggesting they are related to binary systems. The researchers believe these objects could be linked to Type Ia supernova explosions, but they cannot yet determine their exact nature. The objects’ faint X-ray signature makes them difficult to detect, and their ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by helium and hydrogen gas, obscuring their signals. The study suggests that these objects could be the missing link in understanding the expansion of the universe and star formation processes. The paper, "Hypersoft X-Ray Sources as a Low-Energy Class of Luminous Cosmic Emitters," was published in Nature Astronomy on September 9, 2026.

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