Astronomers Detect , Strange Radio Signals From , Unique Stellar Object.
'Newsweek' reports that astronomers have
detected a strange spinning object emitting
radio wave pulses somewhere in deep space.
Every 22 minutes, the object, ejects powerful jets of, radio waves. .
While signals from GPM-J1839-10 have
been hitting Earth for almost 30 years,
scientists have only noticed them now.
The object, located approximately
15,000 light-years from Earth, is believed
to be a uniquely slow-spinning magnetar.
A magnetar is a neutron star with a powerful
magnetic field, typically "with a mass about
1.4 that of our sun," 'Newsweek' reports. .
Magnetars are formed by the collapse
of massive stars approximately
10-25 times the mass of our sun.
Magnetars are highly magnetic, young
neutron stars, usually rotating once
every one or two seconds, and they
produce bright X-ray emission, Natasha Hurley-Walker, Astrophysicist at Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), via 'Newsweek'.
A handful (six out of the 30 known)
occasionally produce radio emission
for a few weeks to months at a time, Natasha Hurley-Walker, Astrophysicist at Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), via 'Newsweek'.
Our existing theories can't explain
how a neutron star could produce
this radio emission while spinning so
slowly, let alone keep it up for decades, Natasha Hurley-Walker, Astrophysicist at Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that the team began hunting for
signals similar to another object, GLEAM-XJ162759,
which mysteriously went quiet in 2018.