Astronomers Discover One of the Fastest-Spinning Stars in the Universe
Fascinating New Findings Revealed by Astronomers
A team of experts from DTU Space has begun making waves in the scientific community with their most recent study, which revolves around a neutron star in the Sagittarius constellation spinning at an extraordinary speed.
Quantum Spin of 4U 1820–30
Nestled 26,000 light-years away from Earth, the 4U 1820–30 neutron star, part of an X-ray binary star system, is observed spinning at an unprecedented rate—an astonishing 716 times per second. This achievement marks a significant milestone in astronomical discoveries, potentially positioning 4U 1820–30 as one of the fastest-spinning objects in the universe.
More information:
Gaurava K. Jaisawal et al, A Comprehensive Study of Thermonuclear X-Ray Bursts from 4U 1820–30 with NICER: Accretion Disk Interactions and a Candidate Burst Oscillation. The Astrophysical Journal (2024). DOI: [10.3847/1538-4357/ad794e](https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad794e).
Provided by: Technical University of Denmark.
A Force to Be Reckoned With
Neutron stars, or dead stars, are remnants of stellar explosions known as supernovas. They are intensely dense, packing the mass of 1.4 suns into a diameter of just 12 kilometers. The discovery shows that these extreme celestial bodies can display equally extraordinary rotational motion, leading scientists to deeper understandings of their formation and behavior.
NICER and Burst Oscillations
Collected data from NASA’s NICER X-ray telescope revealed 15 thermonuclear X-ray bursts from the neutron star between 2017 and 2021. Notably, one of these bursts displayed burst oscillations at a frequency of 716 Hz, aligning with the star’s spin frequency. This alignment is a significant indicator that the neutron star rotates on its axis at an extraordinary 716 times per second.
This discovery is a testament to the intertwining of astrophysical phenomena and technological marvels. The exploration of neutron stars through instruments like the NICER proves to be a valuable pathway towards demystifying the mysteries of the cosmos.
X-Rays and the Milky Way’s Heart
The neutron star is located within the center of the Milky Way galaxy, near its binary companion—a white dwarf about the size of Earth orbiting every 11 minutes. Ziillions ofürk containing space debris churns the material, which is pulled towards the neutron star, leading to thermonuclear bursts. Observing these events offers invaluable insights into the life cycle of binary star systems and the universe’s element formation processes.
The fast-spinning star is a part of the 4U 1820-30 system, where it hosts its smaller companion, a white dwarf star. The binary’s short orbital period and recent discoveries of profound magnitude point to significant new insights in astrophysics.
Call for Further Research
Despite this extraordinary finding, there is still much to explore. Future observations could potentially confirm 4U 1820–30 as one of the swiftest objects ever found in the universe. Stay tuned for ongoing research and breakthroughs from the expert team at DTU Space and the astrophysical community.
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