Astronomers utilizing NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have solved a longstanding cosmic mystery surrounding sudden, erratic high-energy outbursts emanating from a distant star system. By analyzing high-resolution X-ray spectra alongside multi-wavelength archival observations, researchers pinpointed the flares to violent magnetic reconnection events triggered by a closely orbiting companion object. The discovery sheds crucial light on how extreme stellar radiation impacts surrounding planetary atmospheres and refines models of binary star evolution across the Milky Way.
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