A Decade-Long Mystery
For over ten years, scientists have been studying strange bursts of radio waves detected from the direction of the Ursa Major constellation.
These periodic signals, whose source remained elusive, have now been linked to an unusual cosmic phenomenon.
As reported by El Economista, researchers believe the signals originate from a binary system consisting of two dead stars—specifically, a white dwarf and a red dwarf locked in an intense gravitational dance.
Stars Colliding Every Two Hours
According to a study published in Nature Astronomy, the two stars orbit each other so closely that their magnetic fields interact, creating bursts of radio waves roughly every two hours.
Until now, such prolonged cosmic radio signals had only been observed in neutron stars. This discovery suggests that binary star systems can also generate these emissions through their intense magnetic interactions.
These short-lived radio pulses, lasting seconds to minutes, provide new insights into how magnetic fields and material exchanges in binary systems can generate cosmic radio signals.
The findings offer a fresh perspective on the origins of mysterious deep-space bursts and could lead to further discoveries about how stellar remnants interact in extreme environments.
