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Astronomers discover a mysterious object in space emitting an X-ray signal every 44 minutes

Astronomers have named this object ASKAP J1832-0911, and it could well be the origin of a new type of celestial object. (Image source: CSIRO)
Astronomers have named this object ASKAP J1832-0911, and it could well be the origin of a new type of celestial object. (Image source: CSIRO)
A mysterious object has been discovered by astronomers that doesn't fit into any known category of celestial object.

By observing the universe in all its forms, we can discover many types of electromagnetic signals and radio waves. The frequency and energy of the signals can be used to identify the type of object or phenomenon behind them, as in the case of neutron stars, which rotate on themselves at around ten revolutions per second, up to 726 revolutions per second for PSR J1748-2446ad. 

Recently, a group of astronomers made a discovery published in the journal Nature of a new object using data from the ASKAP radio telescope, named ASKAP J1832-0911. It emits pulses of radio waves and rays at a regular frequency of 44 minutes. Located 16,000 light-years away, it could be any object, given its emission in several bands of the electromagnetic spectrum and its unusual periodicity.

Radio and X-ray observations of the ASKAP object. (Image source: Wang et al. 2025)
Radio and X-ray observations of the ASKAP object. (Image source: Wang et al. 2025)

However, because of the long delay between each pulse, astronomers decided to classify it as an LPT (Long-Period Transients) that had already been detected in the past. But, comparing it with data from the same region observed by NASA's Chandra telescope, they noticed that this same region emitted X-rays with the same 44-minute periodicity as that observed in radio waves by the ASKAP radio telescope.

In other words, classifying it as such is not viable, as no other known LPT offers such a pulse frequency. So, this discovery could prompt scientists and astronomers to open up new perspectives on the nature of LPTs. And although there are a few theories, such as magnetars, white dwarfs or binary systems, none of them seems credible or fits this mysterious object. 

As a result, it seems likely that astronomers have discovered a new category of celestial object, or a new phenomenon that has never been observed before. We'll have to wait for further research, using competent equipment, before we can determine which object it is, and perhaps redefine a category of its own that could turn the world of astronomy upside down.

Source(s)

Tameteo (in French), Nature.com

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2025 06 > Astronomers discover a mysterious object in space emitting an X-ray signal every 44 minutes
Alexis Stegmann, 2025-06- 9 (Update: 2025-06- 9)