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.

Źródło:

Credit: ESO/L.Calçada.

O zdjęciu

Identyfikator:eso0831a
Typ:Wizja artysty
Data publikacji:23 września 2008
Powiązane komunikaty:eso0831
Rozmiar:3000 x 2000 px

O obiekcie

Nazwa:Stars
Typ:Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Neutron Star : Magnetar
Odległość:15000 lat świetlnych
Kategoria:Illustrations
Stars

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