The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) first multi-wavelength space observatory, Astrosat, has detected millisecond bursts of X-rays from a magnetar. This is a significant discovery that will help us to better understand these mysterious objects.
Magnetars are a type of neutron star that have incredibly strong magnetic fields. These magnetic fields can be up to 1000 times stronger than the magnetic field of a typical neutron star. The strong magnetic field of a magnetar can cause its crust to crack, releasing bursts of energy in the form of X-rays and gamma rays.
The Astrosat observatory detected the millisecond bursts of X-rays from a magnetar called Swift J1818.0−1604. These bursts lasted for only a few milliseconds, but they were very bright. The brightest burst was about 100 times brighter than the X-rays emitted by the Sun.
This is the first time that millisecond bursts of X-rays have been detected from a magnetar. These bursts are thought to be caused by the sudden release of energy from the magnetar's crust. The detection of these bursts will help us to better understand the structure and activity of magnetars.
Astrosat
Astrosat was launched by ISRO in 2015. It is a 550-kilogram satellite that carries five instruments that can observe the Universe in X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical wavelengths. Astrosat has made a number of important discoveries since its launch, including the detection of a new pulsar and the observation of a black hole feeding on a star.
The detection of millisecond bursts of X-rays from a magnetar is a major achievement for Astrosat. It shows that the observatory is capable of making important discoveries about the Universe. I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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