The universe hides as many mysteries as its very immensity. The advances of humanity on the vast terrain that we inhabit have been impressive, but it is not even a quarter of what happens in the intergalactic existence that we inhabit
It has recently been possible to observe for the first time a star that, according to the data suggested, would have so many energetic components that it has a solid surface and atmosphere.
Let’s give proper credit to the experts who carried out this complex study, before we get into the very complicated theory that explains Why is this discovery important?.
according to review Europe Pressscientists observed this neutron star with the satellite Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE)a collaboration between POT and the Italian Space Agency. Each data was reviewed by scientists and the conclusions were published in the journal Science.
This satellite has the ability to observe X-rays in space and thus measure the polarization that reveals the direction of energy movements. Thus they manage to know many processes that take place around such a powerful celestial body, such as neutron stars within magnetars.
A star with a solid surface
The star in question is about 13,000 light years away from Earth. It is identified by the scientific name 4U 0142+61 and is located in the constellation Cassiopeia.
Magnetars are neutron stars that have extremely dense cores. They are the product of massive stars that exploded in supernovae; In other words, they reached the end of their lives, but with the particularity that they still have a high-energy magnetic field, the most powerful in the entire universe.
So that we have an idea, scientists tell us that these celestial bodies emit bursts or flares that, in a single second, they release millions of times the energy that our Sun emits in a year.
They are so bright that common telescopes are not capable of separating the processes that occur in it. And it is precisely here where the importance of discovery is found..
The NASA and Italian Space Agency satellite managed to separate a type of light with which it was possible to detect that the energy that surrounds it is so powerful that its atmosphere is solid and not made of particles like ours.
It is still not clear, but to explain it in simple terms it is as if there were water around it that turned into ice. So, the atmosphere is so solid that it is as if it did not have layers, but is counted as part of the surface itself.
“This was completely unexpected. She was convinced that there would be an atmosphere. The star’s gas has reached a tipping point and has turned solid similar to how water might turn to ice. This is the result of the star’s incredibly strong magnetic field,” said co-lead author Professor Silvia Zane. (UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory), a member of the IXPE science team.
“But, just like with water, temperature is also a factor: a hotter gas will require a stronger magnetic field to become a solid. The next step is to observe hotter neutron stars with a similar magnetic field, to investigate how the interaction between temperature and magnetic field affects the properties of the star’s surface,” he added.
