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Something we’ve never seen before is coming out of a solar system in our galaxy, astronomers say

The Independent • July 23, 2026 • science

Key Points:

Astronomers have observed unprecedented "bullets" of gas shooting out at up to 20 million miles per hour from V445 Puppis, the Milky Way's only known helium nova, a rare type of exploding star system.
These gas clumps, rich in oxygen, are unlike anything previously seen in other nova explosions, and their exact origin remains a mystery.
V445 Puppis consists of a white dwarf pulling material from a rare helium star, leading to a thermonuclear explosion that launched a massive outflow obscured by dust for over 20 years.
The recent clearing of surrounding dust allowed astronomers to confirm the nature of the system and observe the unique gas "bullets" for the first time.
Studying this rare helium nova could improve understanding of such eruptions, which are believed to contribute to Type Ia supernovae—key cosmic events used as standard candles to measure galactic distances.

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