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yesterday

Astronomers Observe X-Rays from Mysterious 44-Minute Radio Transient

Researchers say the unexpected X-ray emissions during the object’s regular radio bursts hint at unknown physics, demanding a rethink of stellar evolution theories

An image of the sky shows the region around ASKAP J1832-0911. X-ray observations are from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, radio data from the South African MeerKAT radio telescope, and infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.
A wide field composite image shows ASKAP J1832 in X-ray, radio, and infrared light.
The ASKAP radio telescope is seen in Wajarri Yamaji Country in Western Australia.

Overview

  • ASKAP J1832-0911 emits two-minute pulses of both radio waves and X-rays every 44 minutes, making it the first long-period transient detected across both bands
  • The source lies about 15,000 light-years away in the Milky Way and was spotted by Australia’s ASKAP radio telescope alongside coincidental observations by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory
  • After its initial detailed observation in February 2024, the object’s emission intensity faded by a factor of 1,000 by August, indicating a transient active phase
  • Leading explanations include an ultra-magnetized neutron star or a binary system with a highly magnetized white dwarf, but neither fully accounts for the coordinated pulses
  • Astronomers plan further coordinated radio and X-ray campaigns to determine the source’s nature and refine models of long-period transients and stellar remnants