University of Sydney team identifies ASKAP J1745-5051 radio burst source
Astronomers have pinpointed the source of weird, long-lasting radio bursts in space: turns out, they're coming from a magnetic cataclysmic variable called ASKAP J1745-5051.
Led by Kovi Rose at the University of Sydney, the team studied ASKAP J1745-5051 in the Milky Way and found that its synchronized radio flashes and intense magnetic activity could explain similar signals spotted elsewhere.
Accreting white dwarf emits 81-minute bursts
Using powerful telescopes like ASKAP and NASA's Swift, scientists saw this star pair sending out bursts every 81 minutes.
One star, a white dwarf, pulls material from its companion, creating high-energy X-rays.
Their strong magnetic fields collide to produce those mysterious radio waves.
This discovery helps unlock how these rare cosmic signals actually happen.