Neutron stars have a magnetic field 1,000 times stronger than normal

NASA astronomers discovered a very young and powerful neutron star, about 16,000 light-years from Earth.

The neutron star is the core left over after a giant star explodes. With a radius of only a few dozen kilometers but heavier than 1.35 - 2.1 times the Sun, they are known to be one of the densest objects in the universe, where gravity is so strong that it causes atoms Works in a strange way.

Simulate magnetic field lines of Swift J1818.0-1607. (Photo: UPI).

The new star discovered by Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is exceptionally unusual. It is very young and strong, estimated to be only 240 years old and has a magnetic field 1,000 times stronger than typical neutron stars. The team named the object Swift J1818.0-1607 and classified it into a group of magnetic stars .

Of the 3,000 neutron stars discovered so far, astronomers have identified only 21 magnetic stars. They are rare neutron stars that can hold the answers to countless mysteries of the physical world.

"Studying the formation of these objects can help us understand why there is a big difference between the number of magnetic stars out of the total number of known neutron stars , " said astronomer Nanda Rea at the Institute of Science. The universe in Barcelona, ​​a member of the research team said.

Magnetic stars change as they age, so the discovery of one of the youngest objects in this category will help scientists perfect their model.

Like most magnetic stars, Swift J1818.0-1607 is an extremely powerful source of X-ray eruptions, making it at least 10 times brighter than normal. The team is planning to adjust their telescopes to monitor X-ray eruptions in the near future.