Chandra Traces Giant Star’s Repeated Outbursts to Their Source

WHO:

NASA - Astronomers used NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory to investigate the star’s outbursts.

NASA - The study reports a previously hidden companion object orbiting the giant star.

Phys.org - The star is described as a “supernova impostor.”

WHAT:

NASA - Astronomers identified a likely trigger for repeated outbursts from a giant, unstable star.

NASA - A new study details the discovery of a previously hidden companion object.

NASA - The companion repeatedly pulls material away from the massive star.

WHEN:

NASA - The two objects orbit one another every 113 days.

NASA - The study was published Monday in the latest issue of *The Astrophysical Journal*.

WHY:

NASA - The companion’s repeated removal of material from the star is identified as the trigger for the star’s outbursts.

HOW:

NASA - Astronomers used Chandra X-ray observations to trace the outbursts to a companion that pulls material from the star during their orbit.

Phys.org - The article identifies Chandra as the observatory used in the investigation.

(UPDATED November 9, 2026 23:01 UTC)

Astronomers using NASA’s Chandra observatory found a hidden companion triggering a giant star’s outbursts. The unstable star, called a supernova impostor, repeatedly loses material to its companion. They orbit each other every 113 days, explaining the star’s repeated eruptions.