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.

Credit:

Credit: ESO/L.Calçada.

About the Image

Id:eso0831a
Type:Artwork
Release date:23 September 2008
Related releases:eso0831
Size:3000 x 2000 px

About the Object

Name:Stars
Type:Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Neutron Star : Magnetar
Distance:15000 light years
Category:Illustrations
Stars

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