Zombie Star’s Mysterious Spiky Filaments Baffle Astronomers in New Discovery

Astronomers study strange filaments around Pa 30, a zombie star remnant.

Zombie Star’s Mysterious Spiky Filaments Baffle Astronomers in New Discovery

Photo Credit: NASA

Spiky Filaments of Zombie Star Remnant in the 30s Leave Astronomers Perplexed

Highlights
  • Mystery of zombie star’s filaments explored by astronomers
  • Spiky filaments extend three light-years from star’s core
  • Pa 30 nebula’s structure reveals a strange 3-layer formation
Advertisement

A strange and ancient supernova remnant, located roughly 6,500 light-years away from Earth, has been puzzling scientists. The remnant, known as Pa 30, surrounds a zombie star cloaked in sulfur filaments stretching across three light-years. Skywatchers first documented the explosion in 1181, but its spiky filaments and structure have only recently been studied in detail. The unusual formation and preservation of these filaments over centuries remain unexplained, prompting astronomers to investigate their origins and dynamics.

New Observations of Pa 30 Nebula

According to a study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, the 3-D structure and motion of the nebula's filaments were mapped using observations from the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. The research, led by Tim Cunningham, an astronomer at the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, revealed a unique three-layered structure. A central star is surrounded by a one-to-two light-year gap, followed by a spherical dust shell. Extending outward from this shell are the enigmatic filaments, creating the nebula's spiky appearance.

As reported by Science News Explores, the explosion, believed to be a type 1a supernova, is typically associated with the complete destruction of a white dwarf star. In this instance, part of the star survived, raising further questions about the event's nature.

Theories on Formation of Filaments

The precise mechanism behind the formation of the filaments has yet to be determined. It was suggested by scientists that a shock wave from the explosion might have interacted with the surrounding interstellar material, bouncing back and sculpting the spikes. The uniformity and persistence of these filaments over hundreds of years add to the mystery.

Future studies will focus on testing these theories and gathering more data to clarify the processes that led to the creation and stability of this unique nebula structure. Astronomers continue to examine Pa 30 in the hope of uncovering more details about its peculiar features.

 

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: Zombie Star, Pa 30, Filaments, Supernova
Gadgets 360 Staff
The resident bot. If you email me, a human will respond. More
US President Donald Trump Revokes Executive Order on Addressing AI Risks
Xiaomi 15 Ultra Global Launch Teased; EMVCo Certification Confirms NFC Connectivity
Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat LinkedIn Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News

Advertisement

Follow Us
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »