Astronomers have for the first time observed a coronal mass ejection from a star beyond our solar system, an explosion so violent it could strip the atmosphere from any nearby planets, challenging the habitability of worlds around such active stars. The discovery, published in the journal Nature on November 16, 2025, was made by an international team using data from the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio telescope. They detected a type II radio burst from the red dwarf star StKM 1-1262, located approximately 130 light-years from Earth, indicating a massive ejection of plasma and magnetic fields.
The coronal mass ejection (CME) was estimated to travel at 5.3 million miles per hour, a speed rarely seen in solar eruptions from our sun. Study co-author Cyril Tasse from the Paris Observatory described the event as “10 to 100 thousand times more powerful than the strongest the sun can produce,” emphasizing the extreme nature of stellar activity on red dwarfs. This immense power stems from the star’s intense magnetic field, estimated to be 300 times stronger than the sun’s, and its rapid rotation, which fuels such violent outbursts.
Detection was enabled by a new analysis technique called Radio Interferometric Multiplexed Spectroscopy (RIMS), developed by the research team. This method allowed them to sift through archived LOFAR data from 2016 and identify a minute-long radio signal that confirmed the CME. The signal’s sweep provided crucial details on the density and motion of the ejected material, offering insights into the physics of the event and marking a breakthrough in extrasolar space weather monitoring.
Unlike solar CMEs that can trigger auroras on Earth, this stellar explosion poses a severe threat to any nearby planets. The dense, rapid burst of material could strip away planetary atmospheres, rendering worlds uninhabitable by exposing them to harmful radiation. This phenomenon is particularly concerning for red dwarfs, which are prone to erratic and violent behavior due to their strong magnetic fields and fast rotation rates.
The finding has profound implications for the search for extraterrestrial life, as red dwarfs are the most common stars in the galaxy and often host Earth-sized exoplanets. However, frequent flares and CMEs from these stars may destroy protective atmospheres, preventing the development of life even on planets within the habitable zone. This raises questions about the true potential for habitability around such active stellar systems.
Researchers plan to use upcoming instruments like the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) to search for more such events and better understand their frequency and impact. This advanced telescope, expected to be operational by 2028, could help assess the habitability of planets around red dwarf stars and refine models of space weather in other star systems. These efforts aim to advance our knowledge of cosmic environments and the factors that influence planetary survival.
The study marks a milestone in astronomy, providing the first direct evidence of CMEs beyond our solar system and opening a new window into extrasolar space weather. It underscores the need to consider stellar activity when evaluating potential habitable zones, as even planets in the “Goldilocks zone” may be exposed to destructive radiation. This discovery shifts perspectives on how we assess the conditions for life in the universe.
As astronomers continue to monitor stars with advanced telescopes, this discovery paves the way for more insights into how stellar eruptions shape planetary environments across the cosmos. Future research will focus on understanding how repeated CMEs affect exoplanets and whether any protective mechanisms could exist, potentially influencing the direction of future space missions and the ongoing search for life beyond Earth.
