Astronomers have discovered what they call an “interstellar tunnel” in space near our solar system that could provide a connection to other star systems. This observation, revealed in a new study in Astronomy & Astrophysics, describes a vast region of hot gas that surrounds our solar system and extends hundreds of light years, known as the local hot bubble (LHB).

The team used data from the eROSITA telescopea powerful X-ray observatory positioned in space, to map this bubble in three dimensions. This new map shows an unexpected feature: a path or “tunnel” in the bubble that appears to reach another region near space, potentially connecting to another bubble of hot gas.

Michael Freyberg, one of the study’s authors, describe the tunnel as a “gap in the colder interstellar medium” – the collection of gas and dust that fills the space between stars. Thanks to eROSITA’s advanced X-ray sensitivity, this hidden structure could be detected.

The local hot bubble was first suggested more than 50 years ago, with scientists theorizing that a series of supernovas – massive explosions of dying stars – removed all nearby interstellar matter, creating a vast empty space around our solar system.

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This bubble, which spans about 1,000 light years, is thought to have formed about 14 million years ago, although more recent supernovas may have expanded it further. This discovery adds to our understanding by suggesting that the local bubble could connect to other regions of space, creating a network of “tunnels” between the bubbles.

These findings support the idea that similar structures caused by supernovas could connect across the Milky Way, providing new insight into how starbursts shape the galaxy. The eROSITA data also revealed that the temperature of the local bubble varies, with the northern part being particularly warmer, which could indicate that recent supernovas have warmed parts of the bubble.

Simply put, astronomers have discovered a “tunnel” in space that hints at a larger cosmic web and gives us new insight into the structures that shape the galaxy around us. This discovery opens the door to more research into how these vast interstellar bubbles and tunnels formed and whether they could lead us to new parts of the universe and the unexplored worlds therein.

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