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Questions and Answers
What type of telescope was used to spot the unidentified object?
What is the primary function of pulsars?
What can be inferred from the irregular timing of pulsar flashes?
What is the estimated mass of the unidentified object?
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What is the current uncertainty regarding the object's identity?
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What is the researchers' goal in continuing to track the pulsar's flashes?
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Study Notes
Mystery Object in Our Galaxy
- A mysterious entity was discovered in our galaxy, orbiting a pulsar, by the MeerKAT Radio Telescope in South Africa.
- The unidentified object is circling a pulsar in a star cluster 40,000 light years from Earth.
Pulsars and Their Beams
- Pulsars are spinning, dead stars that shoot out powerful beams of light, similar to cosmic lighthouses.
- These beams can flash by Earth at regular intervals, like a precise clock.
Detection of the Mystery Object
- The pulses of a pulsar called PSR J0514−4002E revealed an invisible companion, using the timing of the light flashes to determine its mass.
- The object's mass is estimated to be 2.1 to 2.7 times the mass of the sun.
Possible Identity of the Object
- The object's mass might be too heavy for a neutron star, but too light for a black hole.
- Scientists suspect that a neutron star collapses to form a black hole at a certain mass, but the exact mass is unknown.
Future Research
- Researchers hope to uncover the object's identity by continuing to track the pulsar's flashes.
- This could provide insight into other similar mysterious objects in space.
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Description
A mysterious object has been spotted in our galaxy, circling a pulsar. It could be a heavy neutron star or a light black hole. The MeerKAT Radio Telescope in South Africa made the discovery.
