Astronomers discover a new fast radio burst source
Astronomers using South Africa's MeerKAT telescope just found a super-active fast radio burst (FRB) source, FRB 20240619D.
On June 19, it fired off three bursts in two minutes—and follow-up checks revealed a whopping 249 bursts across different frequencies, making it one of the most active repeaters ever seen.
Bursts showed unique patterns
The bursts showed unique patterns—like strong linear and circular polarization—that point to powerful magnetic fields near the source.
This fits the idea that magnetars (super-magnetic neutron stars) are causing these signals, with local plasma shaping how we detect them.
FRB help scientists trace hidden matter between galaxies
FRB 20240619D acts a lot like other famous repeaters and helps scientists trace hidden matter between galaxies.
By studying how these signals travel through space, researchers can map out parts of the universe we usually can't see—pretty cool for anyone curious about what's really out there!