Astronomers Discover Mysterious Celestial Object in Milky Way
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A team of international astronomers has uncovered an unusual object in our Milky Way galaxy. This intriguing find, possibly a star or even a pair of stars, has been spotted emitting X-rays and radio waves in a repeating cycle every 44 minutes, particularly during times of heightened activity.
Located approximately 15,000 light-years from Earth, this object is situated in a star-rich area filled with gas and dust. According to Ziteng Andy Wang from Curtin University, it might be a highly magnetized dead star, like a neutron star or a white dwarf. However, there’s a chance it could represent something entirely new and unknown.
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory made this significant discovery last year while observing a supernova remnant—the aftermath of an exploded star. This is the first recorded instance of X-rays coming from what is known as a long-period radio transient, an uncommon celestial object that emits radio signals over lengthy intervals.
Due to the uncertainty regarding its exact distance, astronomers are unable to confirm whether this intriguing object is linked to the supernova remnant. For context, one light-year is about 5.8 trillion miles.
Interestingly, the active phase of this object, designated ASKAP J1832−091, lasted roughly a month, during which it released noticeable X-rays. Scientists suggest that there could be more such objects lurking in our galaxy.
Wang pointed out that while this discovery doesn’t solve the puzzle of what these objects truly are, studying them could lead to two possibilities: either we are on the verge of new astronomical knowledge or we are observing a recognized type of object behaving in an unprecedented way.
Chandra, launched in 1999, continues its mission, orbiting high above Earth and studying some of the most energetic events in the universe.
