Astronomers may have found the remains of two long-dead stellar siblingsBy Sam Macdonald edited by Claire CameronThis composite of radio, infrared, optical and ultraviolet data shows the region around IC 443, a famous supernova remnant also known as the Jellyfish Nebula. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/M. Michailidis et al. 2026; DSS (optical); MWSIP/ESA/Planck (radio); NASA/WISE/JPL-Caltech/UCLA (infrared); NASA/Swift (ultraviolet); SRG/eROSITA (x-ray)Join Our Community of Science Lovers!Millions of years ago two massive stars circled each other in a cosmic dance. Then one of the stars went supernova. The blast likely flung the exploded star’s companion across space, setting it adrift in the cosmos for tens of thousands of years before it, too, succumbed to the same explosive end.That, at least, is what astronomers believe may have happened to a newly identified pair of stellar remnants. Using observations from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, researchers suggest that two clouds of supernova debris were once part of a binary star system—a pair of stars bound together by gravity and orbiting a common center.“There are so many striking connections between the two remnants,” said Miltiadis Michailidis, a postdoctoral fellow at the physics department at Stanford University, in a statement. “They’re likely related, giving us the first known example of a binary system where both stars have undergone supernova explosions.”On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.When a star explodes, it expels powerful shock waves that can accelerate charged particles to near-light speeds, creating cosmic rays. As these cosmic rays slam into nearby clouds of gas, they produce gamma rays—the highest-energy form of light. By detecting these gamma rays, astronomers can trace the lingering remnants of ancient supernovae long after the original stars have vanished.