Indian researchers detect repeating X-ray bursts from ULX M74 X-1
Indian researchers at Raman Research Institute have found unusual, repeating X-ray bursts coming from a faraway object called ULX M74 X-1 in the Messier 74 galaxy.
These cosmic flares recur roughly every 30 minutes, but not on a fixed schedule, and the discovery is based on 20 years of space telescope data (collected between 2001 and 2021).
It is a big moment for Indian astrophysics, putting their work on the global map.
ULX M74 X-1 nature remains uncertain
ULXs (ultraluminous X-ray sources) are some of the brightest things in space, up to 100 times brighter than expected, and usually linked to black holes or neutron stars.
The team estimates ULX M74 X-1 is about seven times heavier than our sun, possibly a black hole but with hints it could be a neutron star too.
Their findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, open up new questions about how these extreme objects work and what rules they follow.