New research led by Professor Tom Marsh has discovered a new exotic type of star system 380 light-years from Earth.

The research findings explain the nature of the system, which involves a highly magnetic, spinning white dwarf that sends powerful beams of particles and radiation to its nearby star.

This powerful light house effect accelerates electrons in the atmosphere of the neighbouring star, which is an effect never observed before in similar types of binary stars.

Read the full press release here.