It's Alive! Rare Neutron Star SUDDENLY Awakens After Decade-Long Slumber

The researchers noted that the enigmatic star’s emissions differ significantly from the ones emitted by it prior to 2008, when the celestial body suddenly fell silent, only to awaken a couple of months ago.

Scientists at the University of Manchester and the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy have announced that one of the so-called magnetars – unusual neutron stars that possess powerful magnetic fields and emit bursts of gamma and X-ray radiation — has once again shown signs of activity after being "inactive" since 2008, Science Alert reports.

The star in question, XTE J1810–197, is one of four magnetars (out of the 23 currently known) which emit not just radiation, but pulses of radio waves as well, the media outlet adds.

The research team has been observing the fresh batch of radio emissions originating from XTE J1810–197 since December 8, noting a significant difference in the star’s activity as compared to its "pre-slumber" behaviour.

"The pulse variations seen so far from the source have been significantly less dramatic, on timescales ranging from hours to months, than those seen in 2006", scientists said.

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As the media outlet points out, another team of astronomers also employed NASA’s Deep Space Network to observe XTE J1810–197 and "two of its radio magnetar cousins", noting the "odd variations" in the radio waves emitted by the star.