Near the center of the Milky Wayare enormous filaments of radio energy that sometimes look like bones,Street Stall (2015) and one in particular has astronomers playing orthopaedists.
If the new picture at the top of this story reminds you of an X-ray, well, that's because it is. Scientists used a spacetelescope to examine a conspicuous fracture along the bone's 230 light-yearlength. The images from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, coupled with data from the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa and the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array, have revealed what likely caused it to crack.
The assailant, seen right at the point of the break, could be a fast-spinning neutron star, known as a pulsar. Scientists think that, as the object whizzed through the galaxy at breakneck speed, it slammed through the bone and just kept on going. The collision apparently distorted the bone's magnetic field and warped its radio signal.
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory helped scientists study The Snake, a filament of radio energy near the Milky Way's galactic center. Credit: NASA / CXC / J. Vaughan illustration The discovery not only offers a diagnosis for how the filament fractured but highlights that a single star can rattle the galaxy, even long after its own death. The findingsdescribed by NASA this week were published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Researchers have named the filament G359-dot-something-something-something, but friends and fun astronomers just call it "The Snake." Why, you might ask? Because G359.13142-0.20005 just doesn't roll off the tongue.
The glowing streak threads through the congested downtown of the Milky Way. Dozens of other such filamentsappear in radio waves around the galactic center, lit up by particles spiraling through parallel magnetic fields. The Snake is one of the longest and brightest of its kind.
But why these structures exist — and what makes some longer and more luminous than others — remains a mystery.
An annotated version of a composite image of The Snake shows a close-up view of the fracture and the object that likely created it. Credit: NASA / CXC / Northwestern University / F. Yusef-Zadeh et al / NRF / SARAO / MeerKat / SAO / N. Wolk As for the assailant, it's trying to make a quick getaway. Neutron stars form when massive stars explode into supernovas, leaving behind a crushed stellar core, perhaps just 10 miles wide. But a pulsarbeams radiation as it revolves like a lighthouse beacon.
The new images also suggest extra X-rays may be coming from the area around the pulsar. Particles like electrons and positrons — tiny pieces of matter and antimatter — that sped up during the crash may have caused them.
After a supernova, remnant neutron stars often get an intense kickback from the blast. Scientists estimate this pulsar could be flying at a dizzying 1 million to 2 million mph.
Topics NASA
Watch how an old Venus spacecraft tumbled before crashing to Earth
The Ruin: Roosevelt Island’s Smallpox Hospital
AirPods Max Black Friday deal: $449.99 at Amazon
NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 20
Best Hydro Flask deal: Save $10 on a 24
Life After Empathy: On Philip K. Dick and ‘Blade Runner 2049’
Contributor Picks: Doomed Bohemians and Death Masks
Reappearing Women: A Conversation Between Marie Darrieussecq and Kate Zambreno by The Paris Review
No Time for a Negative Peace
Another OpenAI twist: Microsoft hires Sam Altman as AI team lead
Best robot vacuum deal: Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop at record
Actors are concerned about AI terms in new SAG
Daring as a Woman: An Interview with Lorna Simpson
The TikTok community making people with vaginismus feel less alone
What cracked the Milky Way's giant cosmic bone? Scientists think they know.
Ticketmaster Senate hearing brings Taylor Swift puns and Swifties to the Capitol
The Sentence That Is a Period
The 'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off' cameos you might have missed
Boeing's new VR simulator immerses astronauts in space training
Breastfeeding videos can now be monetized on YouTube — here's why
OpenAI announces new internal safety and security teamWindows 11 to ‘read’ text from your phone’s photosAuto chipmaker Black Sesame renews Hong Kong IPO application · TechNodeSpaceX Crew Dragon brings four astronauts home in nighttime splashdownMemorial Day Weekend 2024 tablet deals: Save on Apple, Samsung, and Amazon tabletsBest Memorial Day laptop deals still live: Up to $1,600 off HP, Lenovo, Acer, and moreVW Tiguan to use drone maker DJI’s ADAS technology for urban driving · TechNodeElon Musk wants to build a city called Starbase in TexasAuto chipmaker Black Sesame renews Hong Kong IPO application · TechNodeOpenAI says it's training a successor to GPTGemini, ChatGPT's rival, now lives in 'Chromebook Plus' laptops: 5 new AI featuresEverything Google announced at its big Chromebook showcaseiOS 18: AIByteDance to offer staff extra bonuses to boost morale · TechNodeBest Amazon deal: The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are 53% off at AmazonAuto chipmaker Black Sesame renews Hong Kong IPO application · TechNodeViral Chinese bubble tea brand Sexy Tea aiming for Hong Kong IPO this year · TechNodeAlibaba’s grocery unit head steps down in latest overhaul: report · TechNodeIs it a bird? Is it a meteor? No, it's SpaceX space junk over the Pacific Northwest!China unveils “low Best Amazon deals of the day: Apple AirTags, Google Pixel 9, 40 Best Black Friday deal: Save up to 24% on Govee lights at Walmart Best headphones deal: Save $130 on the Beats Solo 3 Webb telescope scientists forced to reckon with enormous galaxy outliers X rival Bluesky sees more than 700,000 new users after the U.S. election Best smartwatch deal: Get the Garmin Epix Gen 2 smartwatch 55% off Best gaming monitor deal: Save $320 on curved Samsung Odyssey G5 Best robot vacuum deal: Save $300 on the roborock Qrevo S Robot Meta cuts EU ad Best Black Friday VPN deal: 70% off Proton VPN Best early Black Friday AirPods deal: Get AirPods 3 for under $100 AT&T, Ticketmaster data breach hackers charged with stealing 50 billion records Best Black Friday Live Streamer deal: Save $100 on AVerMedia Live Streamer AX310 NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for November 13: Tips to solve Connections #51 Best birthday gifts for men: Practical and posh presents that are sure to please Best vacuum deal: Get the Shark Clean and Empty cordless vacuum for $199 Best Black Friday TV deal: Save $1,400 on 100 NYT mini crossword answers for November 14 Best Black Friday Beats deal: Solo4 headphones for 35% off Best tablet deal: Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus gets $50 discount
2.7974s , 10132.34375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Street Stall (2015)】,Exquisite Information Network