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NASA's X-Ray Observations Reveal Magnetic 'Bones' of Ghostly Hand-Like Star Remnant in Space

NASA's IXPE telescope records MSH 15-52, remnants of a collapsed giant star, resembling the form of a 'ghostly hand', providing astronomers with the first-ever mapping of cosmic magnetic fields. The observation lasted 17 days, the longest for any single object since the telescope launched in December, 2021.

Overview

  • NASA's IXPE telescope has captured images of a 'ghostly hand' nebula known as MSH 15-52, formed from the remnants of a collapsed giant star, located 16,000 light-years from Earth. The images were taken over 17 days, marking the longest single object observation since the telescope's launch in December 2021.
  • MSH 15-52 resembles a human hand, with its palm being a pulsar, a rotating neutron star with strong magnetic fields. The pulsar injects particles into space, creating a glowing hand-like shape through plumes of energized matter and antimatter.
  • The IXPE data has provided the first-ever map of the cosmic object's magnetic field. The charged particles generating the X-rays traverse the magnetic field, marking the basic shape of the nebula in a manner similar to how bones determine the shape of a human hand.
  • The large regions of MSH 15-52 exhibit a remarkably high level of polarization, suggesting the presence of a straight and uniform magnetic field with little turbulence in these regions. Particles in turbulent areas receive an 'energy boost' and flow towards the 'wrist, fingers, and thumb' of the nebula.
  • MSH 15-52's study has revealed similar magnetic fields for the 'Vela' and 'Crab' pulsar wind nebulae, indicating that these might be common phenomena in such cosmic objects. It also provides insights into how pulsars act as particle accelerators.