Rare Magnestar Discovered -Magnetic Field 1 Trillion x's Earths

In a paper in the current issue of the journal Nature, author Alberto J. Castro-Tirado explains witnessing a bizarre and rare celestial event. Most celestial bodies exert a magnetic field, however a magnetar’s is exponentially stronger than that of our own. "A magnetar would wipe the information from all credit cards on Earth from a distance halfway to the Moon," says co-author Antonio de Ugarte Postigo. "Magnetars remain quiescent for decades. It is likely that there is a considerable population in the Milky Way, although only about a dozen have been identified."

Astronomers witnessed an object emit a gamma-ray burst, subsequently leading to the belief that a star had died somewhere in the distant universe. However, soon afterwards, over a period of three days, 40 visible-light flares were seen emanating from the original gamma-ray burst, followed by a faint infrared flare 11 days later.

"We are dealing with an object that has been hibernating for decades before entering a brief period of activity", explains Castro-Tirado.

Some scientists believe that a magnetar suffers from magnetic field decay, and is thus well along in its evolution. However until now, no suitable object has been found to corroborate this theory.

The object, labeled SWIFT J195509+261406, is likely 15 000 light-years from Earth, near the constellation of Vulpecula the Fox.

Posted by Josh Hill.

Sources:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-09/e-ths092408.php
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v455/n7212/abs/nature07328.html