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- Written by: European Southern Observatory
Gas and dust flowing from stars can, under the right conditions, clash with a star’s surroundings and create a shock wave.
Now, astronomers using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, or VLT, have imaged a beautiful shock wave around a dead star — a discovery that has left them puzzled.
According to all known mechanisms, the small, dead star RXJ0528+2838 should not have such structure around it. This discovery, as enigmatic as it’s stunning, challenges our understanding of how dead stars interact with their surroundings.
“We found something never seen before and, more importantly, entirely unexpected,” said Simone Scaringi, associate professor at Durham University, UK and co-lead author of the study published today in Nature Astronomy.
“Our observations reveal a powerful outflow that, according to our current understanding, shouldn’t be there,” said Krystian Ilkiewicz, a postdoctoral researcher at the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center in Warsaw, Poland and study co-lead.
“Outflow” is the term used by astronomers to describe the material that is ejected from celestial objects.
The star RXJ0528+2838 is located 730 light-years away and, like the Sun and other stars, it rotates around our galaxy’s centre.
As it moves, it interacts with the gas that permeates the space between stars, creating a type of shock wave called a bow shock, “a curved arc of material, similar to the wave that builds up in front of a ship,” explained Noel Castro Segura, research fellow at the University of Warwick in the UK and collaborator in this study.
These bow shocks are usually created by material outflowing from the central star, but in the case of RXJ0528+2838, none of the known mechanisms can fully explain the observations.
RXJ0528+2838 is a white dwarf — the left-over core of a dying low-mass star — and has a Sun-like companion orbiting it. In such binary systems, the material from the companion star is transferred to the white dwarf, often forming a disc around it.
While the disc fuels the dead star, some of the material also gets ejected into space, creating powerful outflows. But RXJ0528+2838 shows no signs of a disc, making the origin of the outflow and resulting nebula around the star a mystery.
“The surprise that a supposedly quiet, discless system could drive such a spectacular nebula was one of those rare ‘wow’ moments,” said Scaringi.
The team first spotted a strange nebulosity around RXJ0528+2838 on images from the Isaac Newton Telescope in Spain. Noticing its unusual shape, they observed it in more detail with the MUSE instrument on ESO’s VLT.
“Observations with the ESO MUSE instrument allowed us to map the bow shock in detail and analyse its composition. This was crucial to confirm that the structure really originates from the binary system and not from an unrelated nebula or interstellar cloud,” Ilkiewicz explained.
The shape and size of the bow shock imply that the white dwarf has been expelling a powerful outflow for at least 1000 years. Scientists don’t know exactly how a dead star without a disc can power such a long-lasting outflow — but they do have a guess.
This white dwarf is known to host a strong magnetic field, which has been confirmed by the MUSE data. This field channels the material stolen from the companion star directly onto the white dwarf, without forming a disc around it.
“Our finding shows that even without a disc, these systems can drive powerful outflows, revealing a mechanism we do not yet understand. This discovery challenges the standard picture of how matter moves and interacts in these extreme binary systems,” Ilkiewicz explained.
The results hint at a hidden energy source, likely the strong magnetic field, but this ‘mystery engine’, as Scaringi puts it, still needs to be investigated.
The data show that the current magnetic field is only strong enough to power a bow shock lasting for a few hundred years, so it only partly explains what the astronomers are seeing.
To better understand the nature of such discless outflows, many more binary systems need to be studied. ESO’s upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will help astronomers “to map more of these systems as well as fainter ones and detect similar systems in detail, ultimately helping in understanding the mysterious energy source that remains unexplained,” as Scaringi foresees.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As Clearlake residents continue to deal with the fallout of a sewage spill earlier this week that’s impacting well water and threatening health, the Clearlake City Council on Thursday night ratified an emergency declaration in response to the situation.
The Robin Lane sewer spill began on Sunday morning with the rupture of a 16-inch force main operated by the Lake County Sanitation District.
The spill has impacted 58 properties in the area south of Pond Road and north of Rumsey Road, east of Pamela Lane and west of Robin Lane in and around the city of Clearlake.
The spill wasn’t stopped until Monday night, and cleanup and monitoring of the area are continuing, along with well testing.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved emergency declarations from the Public Health officer and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Service.
While the wastewater system is operated by the county, on Monday Clearlake City Manager Alan Flora issued the city’s declaration of a local emergency, which he asked the City Council to ratify at its Thursday evening meeting.
During a special town hall on Wednesday evening, county Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Bernstein urged residents in the impacted area to temporarily relocate, the first time that recommendation had been made publicly.
On Thursday, the council voted to add the emergency declaration as a special item.
Flora told the council that the sewage spill was ongoing for 37.5 hours.
While the county operates the wastewater system, Flora said that, in discussion with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, city staff was told that in order to maximize the community’s ability to recover, it was in the best interests of the city to declare a disaster.
It remains to be seen, however, if any state resources will be available to help, Flora said.
The council voted unanimously to ratify the declaration.
Council hears update from city manager
Later, at the end of the meeting, Flora said the response by Lake County Special Districts and the sanitation district it runs has been both frustrating and disappointing in a lot of ways.
“There's a real lack of information to the folks that are impacted out there, which is disappointing,” he said, adding that he didn’t see the county publicly issue any new information about the situation on Thursday.
Flora thanked all of the council members for being at the special town hall about the sewage spill held Wednesday night in the council chambers.
It was noted during public comment by one community member that Lake County Special Districts Administrator Robin Borre was conspicuously absent from the town hall.
Flora thanked Supervisor Bruno Sabatier for participating in the meeting, adding that he thought the tenor in the room would have been different had he not been there. He credited Sabatier for being “honest and authentic about the situation.”
While neither Special Districts nor the County Administrative Office issued any updates on the situation on Thursday, Flora said he had information to share thanks to Sabatier.
Garbage service resumed in the spill area on Thursday, and people who are staying at hotels have had their stays extended, at least, through Tuesday. Their status will be reviewed before then, Flora said.
He said work is underway to address decontamination of wells and hard surfaces, and water is being taken to livestock in the area.
Regarding ground decontamination, Flora said drone footage doesn't show a very thorough job having been done so far. He suggested they need to pay more attention to that work by the county.
He said Environmental Health initially had two teams out in the field working on well testing. “Now they have seven teams out there working, so a lot more testing is going to be coming in, and hopefully it will be a much quicker understanding of the status of what's going on in the aquifer and the water in the area.”
Flora said there’s been frustration about inadequate maps of the spill area, with the county now working on new ones that are expected to be released on Friday.
Portable showers remain available, with the shower trailer to be moved to a new and more accessible location. Flora said he’d made multiple offers for the county to use the shower trailer at the senior center, but the county hasn’t accepted. He said they’ll continue to offer to make them available.
He said the county is planning to begin road work on Pamela Lane next week and on Robin Lane toward month’s end. County crews have dug up, or are planning to dig up, a patch that happened due to a sewage spill that occurred roughly 10 years ago.
Anyone who needs support or information is urged to contact Sabatier at 707-695-0834 or Lake County Special Districts at 707-263-0119.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Recently, the Lake County Office of Education, or LCOE, successfully graduated its first Youth Summer Certified Nursing Assistant Cohort — but where are they today?
LCOE is proud to share the continued success of students who participated in its first Youth Program.
The program’s first cohort included high school students from across Lake County.
“Lake County students are the future leaders of our county, state and county. This program gives students the opportunity to explore a career in the medical field and develop real-world skills before they graduate,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg. “By preparing them for the workforce while they’re still in high school, we’re helping students take confident steps toward their future.”
Three months after completion, many of the program’s alumni have gone on to pursue college degrees in nursing or health-related fields, while others have entered the local workforce serving residents across Lake County’s skilled nursing facilities.
Nine of the 14 youth work or are onboarding at local care homes, including Meadowood Nursing Center, Rocky Point Care Center and Lakeport Post Acute.
Students are earning between $22 and $25 per hour, gaining valuable real-world experience in patient care while continuing their education. Other participants are still in high school and already working part time in skilled nursing facilities.
“Balancing academics, part-time work, and patient care responsibilities is no small feat, and these students continue to demonstrate remarkable commitment, maturity, and compassion,” said Christian Villalobos, LCOE’s grant coordinator for career and college readiness.
Several other participants are full-time college students in nursing pathways. Alumni like Maliyna Aguilar (Chico State University) and Ire Rivera (Pacific Union College) have transitioned seamlessly into higher education, applying their CNA training toward future medical programs.
“The LCOE Youth Summer CNA program has helped me in my educational journey at PUC by providing me with so much more confidence in my nursing skills and abilities than many of my classmates possess,” said Ire Rivera, now pursuing pre-nursing at Pacific Union College. “Attending clinicals feels easier for me because of the hands-on experience I gained at Rocky Point Care Center. Ultimately, my experience in the Youth Summer CNA program has greatly impacted my educational journey.”
For those already working in the field, the program has been equally transformative.
“Working at a local skilled nursing facility is a beautiful experience and a feeling of accomplishment knowing that I’m making a difference in residents’ lives,” said Nataly Torres, a senior at Lower Lake High School. “I enjoy creating bonds with my residents and knowing they feel supported and cared for correctly.”
The LCOE Youth Summer CNA Program was made possible through collaboration with local skilled nursing facilities and Lake County high schools, with funding support from Empowered Aging and the Healthcare Career Pathway program.
“From my time as a Paramedic through teaching Health Careers classes to my current role, it has always been my hope to offer an opportunity like this to high school students. Being a part of this high school CNA program was an incredible experience. Our teachers and support staff did a wonderful job preparing these young students for success as CNAs and have prepared them for success in their future medical careers as well. I had the opportunity to observe the students both in the classroom and at the clinical site. Their dedication to learning and their professionalism while caregiving was always apparent and shows what Lake County students are capable of doing. We are excited to be able to offer this program again in the summer of 2026, and hope to be able to continue to offer it in the future,” said Matt Russell, director of Adult Education & Career & College Readiness.
The Lake County Office of Education is currently in the process of recruiting its second cohort. To learn more about our Medical Training Programs, visit lakecoe.org/MTP.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Following a series of winter storms and multiple years of improved hydrologic conditions, California’s ongoing efforts to recover from the multiyear drought that began in 2021 are showing significant progress.
Current conditions are notably better across much of the state, and the work to restore long-term water security continues, officials reported.
Reservoir storage has improved substantially, with Lake Oroville — the largest reservoir in the State Water Project — rising 137 feet since Dec. 20 and capturing over 300,000 acre-feet of water.
“California's water strategy is working. We're not just managing for today's conditions – we're building a system that can handle whatever our changing climate throws at us. That means capturing rainwater when storms hit, storing it for dry seasons, and protecting communities from floods. This is how California, a state of nearly 40 million people, leads,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Snowpack is near to above seasonal averages in many regions, and groundwater conditions continue to benefit from multiple years of precipitation.
Several state and national indicators, including the U.S. Drought Monitor, show eased drought conditions across California – a reflection of both favorable weather and sustained investments in smarter, more resilient water management.
Managing for climate extremes
While statewide indicators show improvement, some areas remain drier than average, underscoring the need for continued conservation and forward-looking water management.
Recovery from multiyear droughts can be a multiyear process, and increasing climate instability means that periods of intense precipitation can quickly give way to renewed dry periods.
Tools like California Water Watch provide a detailed, real-time picture of precipitation, snowpack and reservoir storage, helping water managers make informed, day-to-day decisions based on local and regional conditions.
As the 2026 water year begins with above-average conditions to date, state agencies continue to capture stormwater when possible, protect communities from flooding, and store water for dry periods ahead — strengthening California’s ability to manage extremes and ensuring the state is better prepared for whatever comes next.
Building water storage for a more resilient California
Along the Sacramento River Basin, the Big Notch fish passage project is now in action to both modernize and improve California’s water system while also protecting juvenile endangered winter-run Chinook salmon. The Big Notch is a key State Water Project infrastructure investment, improving conditions for migratory fish while supporting the water supply depended upon by tens of millions of Californians. It’s part of the State Water Project’s ongoing efforts to balance water supply and environmental protection.
In August, California committed an additional $219 million to the Sites Reservoir project. Sites Reservoir is a key component of Gov. Newsom’s water strategy – capturing water from the Sacramento River during wet seasons and storing it for use during drier seasons. These efforts will hold up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water, which is enough to supply over 4.5 million homes for a year. The project will help California maintain a resilient water supply in the face of climate change, weather extremes, and water scarcity.
In addition to surface water storage, the Newsom administration is working to improve California’s underground water storage through groundwater recharge efforts.
Over the course of 2024, the state received average precipitation, helping sustain recharge efforts after the exceptionally wet 2023. These last three years (2023, 2024, and 2025) have seen continued increases in groundwater storage.
Water Year 2024 increased by 2.2 million acre-feet reported across 98 basins – a direct result of state and local actions to capture and store more water underground.
“These investments ensure that when water does arrive, we can store it, use it wisely, and build long-term resilience for the entire state,” the Governor’s Office said in its statement on water conditions.
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