A Strange Signal Is Coming From Space Every 44 Minutes, Scientists Are Baffled
According to Professor Nanda Rea of Spain's Institute of Space Sciences, the discovery hints at the presence of many more such unknown objects hiding across the cosmos
A strange celestial object, unlike anything ever observed before, has been discovered by astronomers in Australia. The detection of ASKAP J1832-0911, an object that emits radio and X-ray signals every 44 minutes, is being hailed as a breakthrough that could reshape how scientists understand the universe.
The object sends out powerful pulses that last for about two minutes each. These signals were picked up simultaneously by two major observatories: Australia's ASKAP (Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder) radio telescope and NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The rare synchronicity of this observation has made the discovery all the more remarkable.
Dr Andy Wang from Curtin University, who was part of the research team, described the find as 'like discovering a needle in a haystack". This object doesn't behave like anything we've ever seen before, he added.
ASKAP J1832-0911 appears to belong to a relatively new class of celestial phenomena known as Long-Period Transients, or LPTs. These objects were first identified in 2022 and are known for emitting signals over unusually long intervals. However, this is the first time that any LPT has been observed sending out X-rays along with radio waves.
What could it be? Scientists are still unsure. One theory suggests that the object could be a magnetar, a remnant core of a collapsed star with an extremely strong magnetic field. Another hypothesis proposes it may be part of a binary star system involving a highly magnetic white dwarf. But even these explanations do not fully account for its unusual behaviour.
According to Professor Nanda Rea of Spain's Institute of Space Sciences, the discovery hints at the presence of many more such unknown objects hiding across the cosmos. 'This is just the beginning," she said, adding that the fact that they caught the signal in both radio and X-ray frequencies at the same time shows that they were on the verge of something bigger.
The dual-frequency nature of the signals could help astronomers develop new tools and methods for identifying similar phenomena, potentially uncovering more hidden secrets of the universe.
For now, ASKAP J1832-0911 remains an enigma, but one that may open new windows into the unknown chapters of space.
First Published:
June 09, 2025, 17:06 IST
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