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Astronomers spotted colliding neutron stars that may have formed a magnetar

A recent stellar flash may have signaled the birth of a highly magnetic, spinning stellar corpse

Magnetar illustration

A burst of gamma-ray light in another galaxy (shown in an artist’s illustration) hints that colliding neutron stars produced a magnetar.

 

NASA, ESA, D. Player/STScI

By Lisa Grossman

- More than 2 years ago

A surprisingly bright cosmic blast might have marked the birth of a magnetar.