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Astronomers Trace Mysterious Radio Signals to Cosmic Duo
Confirmed
In Short: Astronomers have made a significant breakthrough in unraveling the mystery of fast radio bursts (FRBs), tracing one particular burst, FRB 20200120E, to an unusual cosmic duo: a white dwarf and a sun-like star.
Since 2007, researchers have been studying FRBs, which are brief, intense flashes of radio waves. A study published on February 23 in the journals Nature and Nature Astronomy has shed new light on these cosmic phenomena.
Astronomers at Curtin University's node at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) discovered a white dwarf that emits radio pulses every 7.9 minutes while orbiting a star similar to our Sun.
The discovery of these radio pulses from a white dwarf orbiting a sun-like star is unprecedented and provides new insights into the origins of FRBs.
In addition to this discovery, astronomers have also observed a unique event involving two gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) spaced only four minutes apart. The first burst, G1, lasted 1.7 seconds and is associated with a merger origin, while the second burst, G2, lasted 51.2 seconds and is linked to a collapsing star origin.
Astronomers have also captured the first direct images of colliding objects in a neighboring star system while searching for exoplanets.
What's confirmed
- Astronomers have found a possible new dwarf planet beyond Pluto.
What's still developing
- Stargazing tips, cosmic events and expert insights on the universe Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more Space news, cosmic updates and expert insights straight to your inbox.
- A mysterious radio signal astronomers initially interpreted to be a high-speed radio burst from deep space has been revealed to be something else entirely, and it’s right in our own cosmic back yard.
- Now, after a year of investigation, astronomers say they have finally solved the perplexing mystery, tracing the anomalous signals back to an unexpected source: a forgotten relic from the Cold War-era.
- Now, astronomers have reported an event unlike any other yet observed or predicted: a short and a long-burst GRB, spaced only four minutes apart – a happening so unprecedentedly odd it may require a rethink of GRB classifications and origin scenarios.
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- Astronomers have announced a breakthrough in a 70-year-old cosmic mystery.