{
  "id": 7609890,
  "title": "Scientists Discover Mysterious New X-Ray Objects 'Unlike Any They Have Seen Before'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/scientists-discover-mysterious-new-x-ray-objects-unlike-any-they-have",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-15T19:04:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Slashdot",
    "slug": "slashdot",
    "url": "https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/09/12/189245/scientists-discover-mysterious-new-x-ray-objects-unlike-any-they-have-seen-before"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists have discovered an entirely new type of celestial object, unlike any previously observed. NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory identified 84 such objects emitting very low-energy X-rays across six galaxies, including our neighboring Andromeda and the Pinwheel Galaxy. These mysterious entities, dubbed \"hypersoft X-ray sources,\" have baffled researchers due to their unique properties. Compact binaries, typically known for emitting high-energy X-rays, are formed when black holes, neutron stars, or white dwarfs consume gas from companion stars. However, these newly discovered objects release far less X-ray energy, leading scientists to suspect they are lower-level compact binaries. Despite their weak X-ray emissions, the objects are producing copious amounts of ultraviolet light, which is why researchers believe the low-energy X-rays may be spillover from objects emitting vast quantities of ultraviolet radiation. The small size and strong gravity of these compact objects enable them to attract gas from their companions, causing the gas to spiral inward and heat up significantly during the accretion process, resulting in high-energy X-ray emissions. The researchers suspect that these hypersoft X-ray sources could be widespread in the universe, yet remain undetected due to the absorption of ultraviolet light by the interstellar medium of hydrogen and helium gas present between stars.",
  "summary": "An anonymous reader quotes a report from Space.com: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has found a brand new type of an otherwise familiar object -- compact binary systems that steal gas from other stars, but which do so while emitting very low-energy X-rays but copious amounts of ultraviolet. Chandra spotted 84 suspicious object emitting very low-energy X-rays in six galaxies -- four evolved…",
  "key_points": [
    "Scientists discover 84 new celestial objects emitting low-energy X-rays.",
    "Hypersoft X-ray sources found in six galaxies, including Andromeda and Pinwheel Galaxy.",
    "Objects release less X-ray energy than compact binaries, suspected to be lower-level binaries."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}