Astronomers record massive stellar explosion outside solar system, 100,000 times more powerful than the sun's CMEs

A team of astronomers has recorded, for the first time, a massive stellar explosion released by a star outside the solar system. The event, captured at the Paranal Observatory, was identified as a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) and was observed during the star's earliest stage, according to reports published Monday.

The observation marks a significant milestone because it is the first time astronomers have successfully recorded such a massive explosion released by a star outside the solar system. Furthermore, capturing the event during the star's earliest stage provides crucial data for understanding stellar evolution and its impact on planetary habitability.

The eruption was described by scientists as being similar to those produced by the Sun, but on a significantly larger and more concerning scale. Authorities said the explosion was estimated to be between 10,000 and 100,000 times more powerful than the CMEs typically produced by the Sun.

Coronal Mass Ejections are known phenomena in astrophysics. They consist of a large cloud of gas, known as plasma, and magnetic fields that detach from the star's outer atmosphere, or corona, and are propelled into space. The plasma itself is a mixture of electrons and protons, amounting to millions of tons of hot material ejected during the event.

While CMEs are common occurrences within the solar system, the scale of this newly recorded event outside the solar system surprised researchers. Astronomers noted that the powerful phenomenon has the capacity to devastate any nearby planet. If life exists on such planets, the force of the explosion could potentially cause the death of those living organisms by stripping away atmospheres or irradiating surfaces.