Astronomers Discover Rare Cosmic Object Emitting Radio, X-Ray Bursts
(MENAFN) A global team of astronomers has identified a unique cosmic entity emitting synchronized bursts of radio waves and X-rays, providing fresh insight into a longstanding astronomical enigma.
According to a statement released Wednesday by the International Center for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) based in Western Australia, the newly found object, designated ASKAP J1832-0911, produces energetic pulses lasting two minutes at precise 44-minute intervals—a phenomenon never previously recorded simultaneously in both radio and X-ray bands.
This discovery was made using the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope, managed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, in conjunction with X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The source falls into the category of long-period transients (LPTs), a class of enigmatic cosmic emitters first identified in 2022, the announcement highlighted.
Crucially, this is the inaugural detection of an LPT emitting in X-rays, expanding the known characteristics of these rare objects. To date, only 10 LPTs have been observed worldwide, and their unusually consistent and extended energy bursts continue to puzzle researchers.
Lead author Wang Ziteng from Curtin University and ICRAR described the discovery as “finding a needle in a haystack.” Wang explained, "The ASKAP radio telescope has a wide field view of the night sky, while Chandra observes only a fraction of it. So, it was fortunate that Chandra observed the same area of the night sky at the same time."
This unprecedented find opens new avenues for understanding the mysterious mechanisms driving these rare cosmic signals.
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