MIT astronomers detect a strange “heartbeat” billions of light-years away from Earth.

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MIT astronomers detect a strange “heartbeat” billions of light-years away from Earth... “Boom, Boom, Boom” – MIT Astronomers Detect a Strange “Heartbeat” Billions of Light-Years From Earth


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A distant neutron starA neutron star is the collapsed core of a large (between 10 and 29 solar masses) star. Neutron stars are the smallest and densest stars known to exist. Though neutron stars typically have a radius on the order of just 10 – 20 kilometers (6 – 12 miles), they can have masses of about 1.3 – 2.5 that of the Sun.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>neutron star could be the origin of the clear and periodic pattern of fast radio bursts.

A strange and persistent radio signal from a far-off galaxy that appears to be flashing with surprising regularity has been detected by astronomers at MITMIT is an acronym for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is a prestigious private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts that was founded in 1861. It is organized into five Schools: architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts, and social sciences; management; and science. MIT's impact includes many scientific breakthroughs and technological advances. Their stated goal is to make a better world through education, research, and innovation.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>MIT and elsewhere.

The signal has been classified as a fast radio burst, or FRB — an intensely strong burst of radio waves of unknown astrophysical origin, that typically lasts for a few milliseconds at most. However, this new signal is quite unique in that it persists for up to three seconds, about 1,000 times longer than the average FRB. Within this window, the team of researchers detected bursts of radio waves that repeat every 0.2 seconds in a clear periodic pattern, similar to a beating heart.

Labeled by astronomers as FRB 20191221A, the signal is currently the longest-lasting FRB, with the clearest periodic pattern, ever detected to date.

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https://www.focustechnica.com/boom-b...rs-from-earth/