"Magnetars are a type of neutron star, an incredibly dense object mainly made up of tightly packed neutron, which forms from the collapsed core of a massive star during a supernova. What sets magnetars apart from other neutron stars is that they also have the most powerful known magnetic fields in the universe."
"Scientists observed a superluminous supernova called SN 2024afav for more than 200 days. Normally the light from a supernova fades after reaching a peak in brightness, but SN 2024afav flickered as it faded, producing small light pulses. They theorised that debris had formed a swirling gas disc after falling back into a magnetar."
"According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the pulsating light was the result of a massive spinning object whipping space-time fabric around it - otherwise known as a magnetar. The scientists believe the data proves they had witnessed a magnetar forming as the core of a superluminous supernova collapsed in on itself."
Magnetars are neutron stars formed from collapsed cores of massive stars during supernovas, distinguished by magnetic fields measuring about a million billion Gauss—incomparably stronger than Earth's magnetic field or refrigerator magnets. Scientists observed superluminous supernova SN 2024afav for over 200 days, noting unusual flickering as its light faded, contrary to typical supernova behavior. They theorized that debris falling back onto a magnetar created a swirling gas disc with a tilted rotation axis due to general relativity effects. The pulsating light resulted from the massive spinning magnetar warping space-time fabric around it. This observation provides definitive evidence of magnetar formation as a supernova's core collapsed, demonstrating Einstein's general relativity theory in action.
Read at Mail Online
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