Space & Astronomy

Six more deep space radio bursts picked up

By T.K. Randall
December 24, 2016

Image: Artist's Illustration of a Neutron Star
Credit: Casey Reed - Penn State University / (PD) NASA It's a phenomenon that has managed to defy explanation for years - powerful bursts of radio waves originating from far beyond our own galaxy that, despite lasting mere milliseconds, generate as much energy as the Sun does in an entire day.

Earlier this year, ten of these bursts were picked up coming from a single region of space and now six more have been detected that also appear to have originated from the same location.

In general these bursts are particularly difficult to study, not because they are rare, but because they are so short-lived and sudden that it is a challenge to even detect them at all.One theory is that the bursts are being produced by the collision of two neutron stars - an event that produces a black hole - but this doesn't explain the repeating nature of the phenomenon.

Another, more plausible explanation is that the bursts are being produced by a young neutron star that is rotating with sufficient power to emit such bright pulses on a regular basis.

As things stand though, scientists simply don't know for sure what is causing them.

Source: Science Alert

Tags: Fast Radio Bursts