The hibernating stellar magnet (artist's impression)

Astronomers have discovered a possible magnetar that emitted 40 visible-light flashes before disappearing again. Magnetars are young neutron stars with an ultra-strong magnetic field a billion times stronger than that of the Earth. The twisting of magnetic field lines in magnetars give rise to ''starquakes'', which will eventually lead to an intense soft gamma-ray burst. In the case of the SWIFT source, the optical flares that reached the Earth were probably due to ions ripped out from the surface of the magnetar and gyrating around the field lines.

Oikeudet:

Credit: ESO/L.Calçada.

Kuvasta

Tunnistus:eso0831a
Tyyppi:Kuvitus
Julkaisupäivä:23. syyskuuta 2008
Vastaavat julkaisut:eso0831
Koko:3000 x 2000 px

Kohteesta

Nimi:Stars
Tyyppi:Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Neutron Star : Magnetar
Etäisyys:15000 valovuotta
Kategoria:Illustrations
Stars

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