Astronomers have discovered an extraordinary celestial object, GLEAM-X J0704–37, which emits periodic bursts of radio waves every 2.9 hours—the longest interval ever recorded for this type of phenomenon. This groundbreaking observation has puzzled scientists and opened new avenues for exploring mysterious cosmic systems.
The discovery was made using archival data from the Murchison Widefield Array, a low-frequency radio telescope in Australia, and further refined with high-resolution imaging from South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope.
GLEAM-X J0704–37 is particularly intriguing because its radio bursts are highly polarised and organised, resembling emissions from pulsars—rapidly spinning, magnetised neutron stars. However, the object stands apart due to its unusually long period and its association with a cool, faint M-dwarf star, which is smaller and less luminous than our Sun.
Scientists believe the periodic radio emissions are powered by the object’s intense magnetic fields, which seem both powerful and precisely ordered. Adding to the mystery, the object shows slight variations in its behaviour over a six-year period, based on over a decade’s worth of data.
Situated high above the Milky Way’s plane, GLEAM-X J0704–37 has been ruled out as a magnetar, a type of neutron star known for its strong magnetic fields. Instead, researchers suggest that it might be part of a rare binary star system, involving the M-dwarf star and a white dwarf—a compact star left behind when a larger star burns out its fuel.
“This is an exciting discovery because it highlights how little we know about such long-period radio transients,” the research team said. They added that the pairing of an M-dwarf and white dwarf could explain the unique emissions, but further observations are needed for confirmation.
This discovery opens new possibilities for studying magnetic field interactions in exotic star systems. Scientists are eager to investigate GLEAM-X J0704–37 further to understand its origin and behaviour, which may provide valuable insights into the vast diversity of objects in the universe.
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