Like 500 million suns: scientists have discovered the source of mysterious radiation coming from deep space for the first time.

The study of the fast radio burst discovered in 2022 has allowed astronomers to identify its source. It is believed that this powerful emission originated from a magnetar located 200 million light-years away from us. The research was published in the journal Nature, as reported by ScienceAlert.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are intense flashes of electromagnetic radiation that carry immense energy. Typically, they last only a few milliseconds and are observed in radio waves. During the occurrence of an FRB, more energy is released than what 500 million Suns produce in just a few milliseconds.

Studying fast radio bursts is quite challenging due to their extremely short duration and the fact that they generally do not repeat.

Astronomers can analyze the properties of the radio emission, such as its polarization, to determine the medium it passed through on its way to Earth, thereby identifying its source. The new study suggests that this mysterious radiation is emitted by magnetars. Specifically, astronomers concluded that this powerful emission arises in the magnetosphere of magnetars, which is the region influenced by their magnetic fields.

Magnetars are a special type of neutron star that are incredibly dense remnants of the cores of deceased massive ordinary stars. It is believed that magnetars possess the strongest magnetic fields in the universe, approximately 1000 times stronger than those of neutron stars.

Scientists discovered that the energy stored in these magnetic fields is reorganized in such a way that it can be released as visible radio waves.

This conclusion was reached by astronomers while studying the fast radio burst FRB 20221022A, which was observed in 2022 and lasted only 2 milliseconds. Researchers examined the flickering light of this emission, which indicates how the light was distorted while traveling through interstellar gas. The longer the distance traveled, the greater the flicker.

Astronomers also investigated the polarization of the light from FRB 20221022A, which pointed to a rapidly rotating object located 200 million light-years away from us. This object turned out to be a magnetar.

The study provided compelling evidence for the first time that FRBs can originate within the magnetosphere of magnetars.