The XRISM X-ray spacecraft has enabled astronomers to solve a century-old mystery surrounding a star with unexpected X-ray emissions. The breakthrough discovery revealed that the unusual emissions were caused by a star being devoured by a stellar companion, a process that had eluded scientific understanding for over 100 years.
The XRISM mission, a joint project between space agencies, provided the high-resolution X-ray observations necessary to identify the source of the mysterious emissions. The spacecraft's advanced X-ray detection capabilities allowed researchers to peer into the stellar system and observe the material transfer process between the two stars.