APOD from 2026-02-16

Unexplained Shocks Around a White Dwarf Star

A white dwarf star, RXJ0528+2838, 730 light-years away, displays mysterious bow shocks captured by the Very Large #Telescope. Its dense core resists collapse due to quantum mechanics. The cause of these shocks, lasting over 1,000 years and glowing in hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, remains unknown.

HD image at https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260216.html#space #astronomy #earth