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Newsweek
09-06-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Space: Record-Breaking Cosmic Discovery Challenges Long-Standing Physics
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Astronomers have smashed the record for the largest-known cloud of energetic particles discovered surrounding a galactic cluster—and the find could shake up established physics. The cluster in question, which has the catchy name of "PLCK G287.0+32.9," lies some 5 billion light-years from Earth. The cloud around it is nearly a whopping 20 million light-years across—about 20 times the diameter of our Milky Way galaxy—beating the previous record holder, seen around cluster Abell 2255, which spanned only 16.3 million light-years. PLCK G287.0+32.9 was first spotted in 2011, with studies revealing that the cluster's edges were lit up by two giant shockwaves. The study was led by astronomer Kamlesh Rajpurohit of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "We expected a bright pair of relics at the cluster's edges, which would have matched prior observations, but instead we found the whole cluster glowing in radio light," Rajpurohit said in a statement. She added: "A cloud of energetic particles this large has never been observed in this galaxy cluster or any other." In addition, when the team peered deep into the cluster's central region, they also detected a radio halo some 11.4 million light-years across—the first of this size seen at the 2.4 gigahertz frequency, at which such large halos are not normally visible. A composite, false color image of the galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9. A composite, false color image of the galaxy cluster PLCK G287.0+32.9. X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/K. Rajpurohit et al.; Optical: PanSTARRS; Radio: SARAO/MeerKAT; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk "Very extended radio hales are mostly only visible at lower frequencies because the electrons that produce them have lost energy—they're old and have cooled over time," explained Rajpurohit. "With the discovery of this enormous halo, we are now seeing radio emission extending all the way between the giant shocks and beyond, filling the entire cluster. "That suggests something is actively accelerating or reaccelerating the electrons, but none of the usual suspects apply. "We think that giant shockwaves or turbulence could be responsible, but we need more theoretical models to find a definitive answer." In the cluster's center, the team explained, this activity could be the result of the merger of two smaller galactic clusters, outbursts from a supermassive black hole, or both combined. According to the researchers, the discovery provides us with a new means to examine cosmic magnetic fields—and could help astrophysicists unpick how magnetism shapes the universe on the biggest of scales. "We're starting to see the universe in ways we never could before," said Rajpurohit. "That means rethinking how energy and matter move through its largest structures." The full findings of the study were presented on Monday at the 246th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which is being held in Anchorage, Alaska, from 8–12 June. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about astronomy? Let us know via science@ Reference Rajpurohit, K., Botteon, A., O'Sullivan, E., Forman, W., Balboni, M., Bruno, L., van Weeren, R. J., Hoeft, M., Brunetti, G., Jones, C., Rajpurohit, A. S., & Sikhosana, S. P. (2025). Radial Profiles of Radio Halos in Massive Galaxy Clusters: Diffuse Giants Over 2 Mpc. arXiv.
New York Post
31-05-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Astronomers baffled by mystery object flashing signals at Earth every 44 minutes: ‘Like nothing we've ever seen'
The truth is out there. Astronomers say they're stunned by an unidentified object flashing strange signals from deep space. The object, named ASKAP J1832-0911, was detected by the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and NASA'S Chandra X-ray observatory — the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. 'It is unlike anything we have seen before,' Andy Wang, an astronomer at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, declared in a statement published this week. ASKAP J1832-0911 emits pulses of radio waves and X-rays for two minutes every 44 minutes, according to the experts, who documented their findings in Nature journal. An image of the sky showing the region around ASKAP J1832-0911. Ziteng Wang, ICRAR ASKAP J1832-0911 has been classified as a 'long-period transient' or 'LPT' — a cosmic body that emits radio pulses separated by a few minutes or a few hours. Wang and has team theorize that the object could be a dead star, but they don't know why it 'switches on' and 'switches off' at 'long, regular and unusual intervals,' reports. 'ASKAP J1831-0911 could be a magnetar (the core of a dead star with powerful magnetic fields), or it could be a pair of stars in a binary system where one of the two is a highly magnetised white dwarf (a low-mass star at the end of its evolution),' Wang wrote. 'However, even those theories do not fully explain what we are observing,' he added. 'This discovery could indicate a new type of physics or new models of stellar evolution.' Wang and his team hope to detect similar another using radio waves and the Chandra X-ray observatory, saying a subsequent discovery will help them learn more about the nature of such LPTs. An artist's illustration of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory in space. NASA/CXC & J. Vaughan, NASA/CXC & J. Vaughan It's not the only space discovery to hit headlines and spark conversation in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Cambridge University Press revealed that astronomers had detected a signal extracted from interstellar noise that could be a sign of active biology on another planet. 'Astronomers have detected the most promising signs yet of a possible biosignature outside the solar system, although they remain cautious,' a press release from the prestigious publisher read.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Scientists Are Stumped by Mysterious Pulsing 'Star'
ASKAP J1832 (in circle) captured by th Chandra X-Ray Observatory Credit - X-ray: NASA/CXC/ICRAR, Curtin Univ./Z. Wang et al.; Infrared: NASA/JPL/CalTech/IPAC; Radio: SARAO/MeerKAT; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk Something strange is going on 15,000 light years from Earth. Out at that distant remove, somewhere in the constellation Scutum, an unexplained body is semaphoring into space, blinking in both X-ray and radio frequencies once every 44 minutes in a way never seen by astronomers before. The object could be a white dwarf—an Earth-sized husk that remains after a star has exhausted its nuclear fuel. Or not. It could also be a magnetar—a neutron star with an exceedingly powerful magnetic field. Unless it's not that either. 'Astronomers have looked at countless stars with all kinds of telescopes and we've never seen one that acts this way,' said astronomer Ziteng Wang of Curtin University in Australia, in a statement that accompanied the May 28 release of a paper in Nature describing the object, for which he was lead author. 'It's thrilling to see a new type of behavior for stars.' So what exactly is the mysterious body—which goes by the technical handle ASKAP J1832—and how common is this species of object? ASKAP J1832 is by no means unique in the universe in sending out energy in steady flashes. Pulsars—rapidly spinning neutron stars—do too. But pulsars flash much faster than ASKAP J1832 does, on the order of milliseconds to seconds. In 2022, astronomers discovered a type of object known as a long-period transient, which, like ASKAP J1832, sends out flashes of radio waves on the order of tens of minutes. So far 10 such bodies have been found, but none identical to ASKAP J1832, which is the first to emit X-rays too. What's more, ASKAP J1832's emissions have changed over time. During one observation with NASA's orbiting Chandra X-Ray Observatory in February 2024, the object was prodigiously producing both X-rays and radio waves. During a follow-up observation six months later, the radio waves were 1,000 times fainter and no X-rays were detected. That was a puzzle. 'We looked at several different possibilities involving neutron stars and white dwarfs, either in isolation or with companion stars,' said co-author Nanda Rea of the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona, Spain, in a statement. 'So far nothing exactly matches up, but some ideas work better than others.' One of those ideas is the magnetar, but that doesn't fit precisely, due to ASKAP J1832's bright and variable radio emissions. The white dwarf remains a possibility, however in order to produce the amount of energy it does, ASKAP J1832 would have to be orbiting another body in a formation known as a binary system, and so far that second body hasn't been detected. Viewed from Earth, ASKAP J1832 appears to be located in a supernova remnant, a cloud of hot gas and high energy particles that remains after an aging star meets its explosive end. But the authors of the paper concluded that the remnant merely lies in the foreground of the observational field with ASKAP J1832 in the background, the way an earthly cloud can drift in the path of the sun. So for now, the object remains a riddle—one that will be investigated further. 'Finding a mystery like this isn't frustrating,' said co-author Tong Bao of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, in a statement. 'It's what makes science exciting.' Write to Jeffrey Kluger at
Toronto Sun
28-05-2025
- Science
- Toronto Sun
Astronomers discover strange new celestial object in our Milky Way galaxy
Published May 28, 2025 • 1 minute read Astronomers have discovered a strange new object in our Milky Way galaxy. Photo by NASA/CXC/ICRAR, Curtin Univ., Z. Wang et al. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronomers have discovered a strange new object in our Milky Way galaxy. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account An international team reported Wednesday that this celestial object — perhaps a star, pair of stars or something else entirely — is emitting X-rays around the same time it's shooting out radio waves. What's more, the cycle repeats every 44 minutes, at least during periods of extreme activity. Located 15,000 light-years away in a region of the Milky Way brimming with stars, gas and dust, this object could be a highly magnetized dead star like a neutron or white dwarf, Curtin University's Ziteng Andy Wang said in an email from Australia. Or it could be 'something exotic' and unknown, said Wang, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature. NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory spotted the X-ray emissions by chance last year while focusing on a supernova remnant, or the remains of an exploded star. Wang said it was the first time X-rays had been seen coming from a so-called long-period radio transient, a rare object that cycles through radio signals over tens of minutes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A close-up image of ASKAP J1832 in X-ray and radio light. Photo by NASA/CXC/ICRAR, Curtin Univ., Z. Wang et al. Given the uncertain distance, astronomers can't tell if the weird object is associated with the supernova remnant or not. A single light-year is 5.8 trillion miles. The hyperactive phase of this object — designated ASKAP J1832−091 — appeared to last about a month. Outside of that period, the star did not emit any noticeable X-rays. That could mean more of these objects may be out there, scientists said. 'While our discovery doesn't yet solve the mystery of what these objects are and may even deepen it, studying them brings us closer to two possibilities,' Wang said. 'Either we are uncovering something entirely new, or we're seeing a known type of object emitting radio and X-ray waves in a way we've never observed before.' Launched in 1999, Chandra orbits tens of thousands of kilometres above Earth, observing some of the hottest, high-energy objects in the universe. Canada Music Crime Toronto Maple Leafs Sunshine Girls
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WIRED
26-05-2025
- Science
- WIRED
The Milky Way Has a Mysterious ‘Broken Bone'
May 26, 2025 5:00 AM Galactic bones, filaments of radio-wave-emitting particles, run through our galaxy, and one of them has a fracture. New analysis suggests collision with a neutron star may have caused it. A photo of the galactic bone known as The Snake. Photograph: NASA/CXC/Northwestern University If you look at the Milky Way through a powerful telescope, you'll notice that close to the center of the galaxy there are elongated filaments that seem to outline its spiral shape. Scientists have a nickname for these structures: 'galactic bones.' Recently, astronomers found that one of the Milky Way's bones is 'fractured,' and they believe they've now found a possible culprit: a neutron star that may have collided with it. According to NASA, these bones are huge elongated formations of energized particles that spiral along magnetic fields running through the galaxy. The particles release radio waves, and so are detectable using radio telescopes. Scientists have found several such bones in the galaxy, but one of the most striking is called G359.13142-0.20005, also known as 'the Snake.' It is a 230-light-year-long filament that appears to have a fracture. It is also one of the brightest. One of the first explanations was that some as yet undetected body had disturbed the filament. A study by Harvard University, published in the journal Monthly Notice of the Royal Astronomical Society , set out to test this hypothesis. The research team involved found signs of a pulsar, a neutron star spinning at high speed, in the same region as the broken bone. These stars are extremely dense, and are the small remnants left after the explosion of a supermassive star. Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, which orbits Earth, along with the MeerKAT telescope array in South Africa and the Very Large Array in New Mexico—two systems that detect radio waves—scientists found what appear to be traces of a pulsar in the filament. Based on data from these observatories, they estimate that this pulsar impacted the bone at a speed of between 1,609,000 and 3,218,000 kilometers per hour. The suspected collision is thought to have distorted the magnetic field of the bone, causing its radio signal to deform. The structure G359.13, with the fracture visible on its right-hand side. Photograph: NASA/CXC/Northwestern University In the above image provided by NASA, the Snake can be seen, and there is a body that appears to be interacting with the structure, in the middle of its length. It is possibly the aforementioned neutron star. Pulsars are alternative versions of a neutron star where, in addition to being compact objects, they rotate at high velocities and produce strong magnetic fields. At the moment there is no instrument that can see them directly due to their size and distance, but radio telescopes can detect the electromagnetic waves they emit and hear them by converting these into sound. This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
