In the vast expanse of the cosmos, a peculiar object named GPMJ1839-10 has been sending out strange radio wave pulses deep into space. Located approximately 15,000 light-years away from Earth in the Scutum constellation of the Milky Way, this cosmic object has intrigued astronomers with its unusual behavior.
Unlike other sources of pulsing radio waves, GPMJ1839-10 emits radio waves every 22 minutes, an unusually slow rate. This has led astronomers to speculate that this object may be a particularly slow-spinning magnetar. Magnetars are neutron stars with extremely powerful magnetic fields, usually around 12 miles in width with a mass about 1.4 times that of our sun. They are formed by the collapse of massive stars, typically around 10-25 times the mass of our sun.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that astronomers have spotted a magnetar spinning much slower than usual. The first such instance was recorded with an object named GLEAM-X J162759.5−523504.3, which was observed emitting radio waves every 18 minutes.
However, the strange properties of GPMJ1839-10 don’t quite match those of a typical magnetar. For instance, while observing it producing bright radio pulses, astronomers simultaneously observed it with XMM-Newton, a powerful X-ray space telescope. Surprisingly, they saw no X-rays; if it were a magnetar, they would expect to see them. Furthermore, magnetars aren’t normally active for decades, while GPMJ1839-10 has been producing radio pulses since at least 1988.
This discrepancy has left astronomers puzzled and intrigued. The mystery surrounding GPMJ1839-10 continues to deepen as scientists strive to understand its nature and origin. As we continue to explore the cosmos and unravel its mysteries, objects like GPMJ1839-10 remind us of how much there is still to discover.
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