Scientists have discovered a star behaving like no other seen before, giving new clues about the origin of a class of mysterious objects. This object, known as ASKAP J1832, shows regular changes in both radio wave and X-ray intensity every 44 minutes, the first time such variations have been seen for a class of objects discovered only three years ago.

X-rays from Chandra are shown along with infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, and radio from LOFAR. An inset shows a more detailed view of the immediate area around this unusual object in X-ray and radio light.

A figure showing variations in the radio and X-ray brightness of ASKAP J1832. The X-axis shows the phase of the repeated variations, a quantity that is proportional to time. The two plots were generated by taking the full light curves — the variations in brightness as a function of time — and cutting them up into 44 minute-long segments. These segments are then mathematically laid on top of each other and added together to give average signals in X-rays or radio waves at different portions, or phases, of the 44 minute-long cycle. A phase of 0.0 corresponds to the beginning of this average signal and a phase of 1.0 corresponds to the end of the average signal, 44 minutes later. The signal repeats between phases of 1.0 and 2.0. The full light curve covers about 10 cycles of the 44 minute long signal for radio and about 8 for X-rays. The red lines in the X-ray plot show the uncertainties in the X-ray signals. Creating plots like this enables a good view of the average variations in light with time.

This labeled version of the tactile plate is a physical relief map based on the intensity of Chandra X-ray data along with radio and infrared data, featuring a mysterious object, possibly an unusual neutron star or white dwarf, residing near the edge of a supernova remnant. The object, known as ASKAP J1832, has been intriguing with its antics and bizarre behavior. A fine, raised circle on this plate denotes the location of ASKAP J1832.

Astronomers working with the Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder radio telescope have discovered that ASKAP J1832 cycles in radio wave intensity every 44 minutes. This is thousands of times longer than pulsars, which are rapidly spinning neutron stars that have repeated variations multiple times a second. Using Chandra, the team discovered that the object is also regularly varying in X-rays every 44 minutes. This is the first time such an X-ray signal has been found in a long period radio transient like ASKAP J1832.

In the tactile plate, the curious object ASKAP J1832 is shown in the context of the supernova remnant and nearby gas clouds. The supernova remnant is the large, wispy, semi-circular oval ring sweeping across the lower right quadrant of the image. ASKAP J1832 sits inside this ring, to our right of center; a tiny point-like speck in a sea of other specks. The gas cloud largely occupying the upper left quadrant depicts infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.

This tactile plate is a physical relief map based on the intensity of Chandra X-ray data along with radio and infrared data, featuring a mysterious object, possibly an unusual neutron star or white dwarf, residing near the edge of a supernova remnant. The object, known as ASKAP J1832, has been intriguing with its antics and bizarre behavior.

Astronomers working with the Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder radio telescope have discovered that ASKAP J1832 cycles in radio wave intensity every 44 minutes. This is thousands of times longer than pulsars, which are rapidly spinning neutron stars that have repeated variations multiple times a second. Using Chandra, the team discovered that the object is also regularly varying in X-rays every 44 minutes. This is the first time such an X-ray signal has been found in a long period radio transient like ASKAP J1832.

In the tactile plate, the curious object ASKAP J1832 is shown in the context of the supernova remnant and nearby gas clouds. The supernova remnant is the large, wispy, semi-circular oval ring sweeping across the lower right quadrant of the image. ASKAP J1832 sits inside this ring, to our right of center; a tiny point-like speck in a sea of other specks. The gas cloud largely occupying the upper left quadrant depicts infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.

A labeled version of the tactile plate features a fine, raised circle to denote the location of ASKAP J1832.