By Alec Fernandes
Scientists are baffled by a mysterious radio signal that has traveled to Earth from 16,000 lightyears away. The ASKAP telescope in Australia detected waves from a neutron star with such a slow rotation and variable signal that it defies researchers’ understanding of physics.
Neutron stars are the result of massive stars that have imploded, which is why they are sometimes referred to as “dead stars.” Their small size and increased density cause them to rotate at incredible speeds, similar to ice dancers tucking in their limbs to spin as fast as possible. While almost all neutron stars complete hundreds of revolutions per second, the anomalous specimen, known as ASKAP J1935+2148, takes close to an hour to complete just one turn. It also alternates its radio signal between three different stages, sometimes remaining completely silent.
“If the signals didn’t arise from the same point in the sky, we would not have believed it to be the same object producing these different signals,” said Dr. Manisha Caleb at the University of Sydney. Scientists believe the unique behavior of the star, which resembles the illustration above, indicates massive physical changes occurring nearby in that region of deep space. They are even reassessing their initial classification, and are now open to the possibility of it being a white dwarf star despite other evidence to the contrary. This uncertainty could point to a completely new class of celestial objects that would expand our understanding of the universe.