What caused the Milky Way’s massive cosmic fracture? Researchers believe they have the answer.
Near the center of the Milky Way are enormous filaments of radio energy that sometimes resemble bones, and one in particular has astronomers examining its fracture. If the new picture at the top of this story reminds you of an X-ray, that’s because it is. Scientists used a space telescope to investigate a noticeable fracture along the bone’s 230 light-year length. The images from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, combined with data from the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa and the National Science Foundation’s Very Large Array, have shed light on what likely caused this fracture. The culprit, visible right at the point of the break, may be a fast-spinning neutron star, known as a pulsar. Researchers believe that as this object zipped through the galaxy, it collided with the bone and continued on its path. This collision appears to have distorted the bone’s magnetic field and warped its radio signal.
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory assisted scientists in studying The Snake, a filament of radio energy near the Milky Way’s galactic center.
Credit: NASA / CXC / J. Vaughan illustration
The discovery not only provides insight into how the filament fractured but also emphasizes that a single star can influence the galaxy, even long after its own demise. The findings, detailed by NASA this week, were published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Researchers have designated the filament G359-dot-something-something-something, but for ease of reference, it’s affectionately known as “The Snake.” Why, you might wonder? Because G359.13142-0.20005 just doesn’t roll off the tongue.
The glowing streak weaves through the busy core of the Milky Way. Numerous other such filaments are visible in radio waves around the galactic center, illuminated by particles spiraling through parallel magnetic fields. The Snake is among the longest and brightest of its type. However, the reason these structures exist—and what distinguishes some as longer and more luminous than others—remains a mystery.
An annotated version of a composite image of The Snake highlights a close-up view of the fracture and the object that likely caused it.
Credit: NASA / CXC / Northwestern University / F. Yusef-Zadeh et al / NRF / SARAO / MeerKat / SAO / N. Wolk
As for the culprit, it’s making a quick escape. Neutron stars are formed when massive stars explode as supernovas, leaving behind a compact stellar core, perhaps just 10 miles wide. A pulsar emits radiation as it spins, much like a lighthouse beacon. The new images suggest there may also be additional X-rays emanating from the vicinity of the pulsar. Particles such as electrons and positrons—tiny components of matter and antimatter—that accelerated during the collision may be responsible for this. Following a supernova, remnant neutron stars frequently receive a significant kickback from the blast. Scientists estimate this pulsar could be traveling at an astounding speed of 1 million to 2 million mph.
