Astronomers uncover a mysterious celestial object in the Milky Way emitting synchronized radio and X-ray signals every 44 minutes, hinting at unknown cosmic phenomena.
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| The object ASKAP J1832−091 could be a neutron star, white dwarf—or something entirely unknown—emitting synchronized X-ray and radio bursts every 44 minutes. Image: NASA/ CH |
Perth, Australia – May 30, 2025:
A celestial mystery deep in the Milky Way is puzzling astronomers around the world after the discovery of a highly unusual object emitting synchronized bursts of X-rays and radio waves every 44 minutes. The discovery, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, adds a new layer of intrigue to the search for exotic and unexplained cosmic phenomena.
The object, now designated ASKAP J1832−091, was discovered 15,000 light-years from Earth in a dense region of the galaxy teeming with stars, gas, and dust. During its brief hyperactive phase, which lasted about a month, the object emitted intense X-ray pulses that coincided with bursts of radio signals—an unprecedented pattern in the known catalog of cosmic behavior.
The discovery came by chance. NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, one of the premier tools for observing high-energy space events, detected the emissions while it was focused on a nearby supernova remnant, the collapsed remains of an exploded star. While it’s unclear if ASKAP J1832−091 is physically linked to the remnant, the emissions caught the attention of astronomers due to their precise repetition and dual-channel nature.
What makes this discovery particularly compelling is its rarity. According to Ziteng Andy Wang, lead author of the study and a researcher at Curtin University in Australia, ASKAP J1832−091 could be a highly magnetized dead star, such as a neutron star or white dwarf. But given its strange signal behavior and X-ray emissions, it might also be “something exotic”—potentially representing a new class of astrophysical object.
The object falls into a category known as long-period radio transients, which are known for producing radio waves over several minutes. However, this is the first known case of such an object emitting corresponding X-rays—an energy signature not previously associated with these phenomena.
The intermittent behavior of ASKAP J1832−091—active for only about a month and then silent—suggests there may be many more such objects lying dormant and undetected in the galaxy. Their brief flare-ups make them easy to miss without continuous, high-resolution observation.
“While our discovery doesn’t yet solve the mystery of what these objects are and may even deepen it,” Wang said, “it brings us closer to two possibilities: either we’re uncovering something entirely new, or witnessing a known type of object behaving in a way never observed before.”
The implications of either possibility are profound. If it’s a new class of star or stellar remnant, it would expand our understanding of how stars evolve, die, and interact with the universe. If it’s an existing type acting abnormally, it suggests that the known physics of stellar emissions might need rethinking.
Launched in 1999, Chandra continues to play a critical role in mapping the universe’s high-energy events from its orbit tens of thousands of miles above Earth. Its ability to catch fleeting phenomena like ASKAP J1832−091 underscores the importance of long-term space observatories in uncovering the hidden layers of cosmic complexity.
For now, ASKAP J1832−091 remains an enigma—either a ghost from the stellar graveyard or a window into a new chapter of galactic discovery.