Updated

Astronomers report that a white dwarf with no detectable surrounding disk is producing a powerful shock wave that appears to have persisted for at least 1,000 years, a phenomenon that shouldn't be possible under current models. The star's magnetic field may partly explain the effect, but researchers say an unidentified 'mystery engine' could also be driving it. The discovery challenges existing understanding of stellar remnants and their long-term energetic behavior, prompting calls for further observation to identify the underlying mechanism.