NASA space telescope gets 1st clear X-ray image of sun-like star blowing a bubble
Space.com
by Samantha Mathewson February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has captured the first-ever clear X-ray image of a sun-like star, HD 61005, blowing a massive bubble of hot gas. This astrosphere forms as the star's powerful stellar wind interacts with surrounding interstellar material, creating a protective cavity similar to the Sun’s heliosphere. The observation provides a rare glimpse into the early history of our solar system and offers insights into how young stars shape their environments.
HD 61005, located about 120 light-years from Earth, is a 100-million-year-old star with a mass and temperature comparable to the Sun. Its stellar wind is far more intense, blowing three times faster and being 25 times denser than our Sun’s current wind. This results in a larger, brighter astrosphere filled with hot gas. The surrounding interstellar environment is also much denser than what the Sun currently encounters, amplifying the interaction and making the X-ray signal detectable by Chandra.
The discovery marks a significant milestone in understanding stellar winds and their role in shaping planetary systems. By studying HD 61005’s astrosphere, astronomers can infer what the early solar system might have looked like when the Sun’s wind was stronger and interactions with interstellar material were more dynamic. This knowledge could help us better understand how stellar winds influence planetary environments and potentially affect
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Originally published on Space.com on 2/24/2026