Scientists claim to hear star’s heartbeat

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Scientists claim to hear star's heartbeat 
Last Update: Thursday, August 24, 2006. 3:32pm (AEST) 

By science reporter Sarah Clarke 

We have always been told they twinkle, but now scientists say they have discovered what they call the 'heartbeat' of a star. 

The sound has come from a massive star known as a magnetar, which lies about 10,000 light years away from the Earth and has a magnetic field stronger than any other star in this galaxy. 

As the scientists report in the journal Nature, this star is powerful and can "fry" anything that comes close to it. 

It is the first time scientists have tuned into the eerie noise, which sounds like the kind used in movies as a sign of aliens making contact with Earth. 

Every five or so seconds, a radio heartbeat is beamed from the magnetar. 

As it rotates, a wave of energy sweeps across space and when its path intercepts Earth it creates a sharp pulse. 

John Reynolds is part of the CSIRO team at the Parkes observatory which identified the star's heartbeat. 

"It set our heartbeats racing. We weren't expecting to find anything, it was just a bit of a long-shot observation," he said. 

"None of these magnetars have been detected as radio pulsars before. 

"But acting on a bit of a hunch we looked at it and sure enough... it was one of the strongest pulsars detectable at that time. 

"It's not something we do everyday, to actually play the sounds through a loudspeaker, because most of the radio waves we receive from space is just hiss really. 

"You get a bit tired of listening to hiss after a while. But with this pulsar, you can actually hear the structure of the pulse through the loudspeaker - it's not just a single blip that has little lumps and little beeps in it - and to hear that actually coming through the loudspeaker was actually quite exciting." 

The magnetar is believed to be the remains of a massive star that has exploded in its past. 

Only a dozen of them are known in the galaxy and they stand out simply because their magnetic fields are so strong. 

John Sarkissian from the CSIRO made the initial discovery in March this year. 

"Normally, typical pulsars have magnetic fields that are thousands of millions of times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field," he said. 

"But these magnetars have magnetic fields that are hundreds of times stronger still. 

"In fact if you were within 1,000 kilometres of one of these, the magnetic field would literally fry you alive. 

"And if it were to pass the Earth, it would sterilise the Earth - it would be such a strong magnetic field, so it's a good thing these things are very far away." 

Now scientists know what to look and listen out for - they are confident they can find more of these unique magnetars and better understand their role in the life cycle of stars. 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1723265.htm 

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Angel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 03 July 2001 Status: Offline Points: 6641	Post Options Post Reply Quote Angel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Scientists claim to hear star’s heartbeat Posted: 24 August 2006 at 7:13am
	Scientists claim to hear star's heartbeat Last Update: Thursday, August 24, 2006. 3:32pm (AEST) By science reporter Sarah Clarke We have always been told they twinkle, but now scientists say they have discovered what they call the 'heartbeat' of a star. The sound has come from a massive star known as a magnetar, which lies about 10,000 light years away from the Earth and has a magnetic field stronger than any other star in this galaxy. As the scientists report in the journal Nature, this star is powerful and can "fry" anything that comes close to it. It is the first time scientists have tuned into the eerie noise, which sounds like the kind used in movies as a sign of aliens making contact with Earth. Every five or so seconds, a radio heartbeat is beamed from the magnetar. As it rotates, a wave of energy sweeps across space and when its path intercepts Earth it creates a sharp pulse. John Reynolds is part of the CSIRO team at the Parkes observatory which identified the star's heartbeat. "It set our heartbeats racing. We weren't expecting to find anything, it was just a bit of a long-shot observation," he said. "None of these magnetars have been detected as radio pulsars before. "But acting on a bit of a hunch we looked at it and sure enough... it was one of the strongest pulsars detectable at that time. "It's not something we do everyday, to actually play the sounds through a loudspeaker, because most of the radio waves we receive from space is just hiss really. "You get a bit tired of listening to hiss after a while. But with this pulsar, you can actually hear the structure of the pulse through the loudspeaker - it's not just a single blip that has little lumps and little beeps in it - and to hear that actually coming through the loudspeaker was actually quite exciting." The magnetar is believed to be the remains of a massive star that has exploded in its past. Only a dozen of them are known in the galaxy and they stand out simply because their magnetic fields are so strong. John Sarkissian from the CSIRO made the initial discovery in March this year. "Normally, typical pulsars have magnetic fields that are thousands of millions of times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field," he said. "But these magnetars have magnetic fields that are hundreds of times stronger still. "In fact if you were within 1,000 kilometres of one of these, the magnetic field would literally fry you alive. "And if it were to pass the Earth, it would sterilise the Earth - it would be such a strong magnetic field, so it's a good thing these things are very far away." Now scientists know what to look and listen out for - they are confident they can find more of these unique magnetars and better understand their role in the life cycle of stars. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1723265.htm
	~ Our feet are earthbound, but our hearts and our minds have wings ~

Angel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 03 July 2001 Status: Offline Points: 6641	Post Options Post Reply Quote Angel Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 August 2006 at 7:15am
	So fastinating
	~ Our feet are earthbound, but our hearts and our minds have wings ~

BMZ Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 03 April 2006 Status: Offline Points: 1852	Post Options Post Reply Quote BMZ Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 August 2006 at 7:56am
	From Angel: "So fastinating" It is indeed. Thanks for posting the article, Angel. BMZ

Irshadk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 27 August 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7	Post Options Post Reply Quote Irshadk Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 August 2006 at 6:00am
	Assalam-u-alaikum (Peace be upon you) Angel, Have you had the chance to hear the heartbeat of a star? I though i would share the following info. Pulsars and Black Holes General relativity predicted the formation of black holes from neutron stars. As more matter falls into a neutron star its mass increases; and as its mass increases its gravity increases. A point will be reached where gravity would have grown so much that not even light could escape, thus a black hole forms. Most neutron stars discovered today are in the form of radio pulsars. Radio pulsars are neutron stars that emit radio waves. We can simply connect a radio telescope to a loud speaker and hear a pulsar. Pulsars sound like someone persistently knocking. Click here and listen to a slow knocking pulsar http://speed-light.info/islam/relativity_quran_koran/pulsar_ slow.au. Click here and listen to a fast knocking pulsar http://speed-light.info/islam/relativity_quran_koran/pulsar_ fast.au. So in short, we can hear a pulsar knock; and if matter continues to fall into this pulsar a black hole will eventually form. Moslems say that this is what Allah says. The Quran describes a star by "The one who knocks" and says that it is "The one who makes a hole". ^{[Quran 86.1-3]}And the heaven and the "Knocker" (Tarek in Arabic) ² How could you know about the "Knocker"? ³ The piercing star (Thakeb in Arabic). The Arabic word "Thukb" means hole; "Thakeb" means the one who makes the hole. The Quran is describing a knocking star that makes a hole. *Moslems ask how could an illiterate man who lived 1400 years ago have figured out Pulsars and Black Holes?* ^[^{Quran 26.2-6]} These are the verses of a clarifying Book. ³ You might be frustrated that they don't believe; ⁴ If We wish, We hand down from the heaven a sign (proof); their necks to it remain subdued. ⁵ And every new revelation they were given from The Most Gracious [Allah] they dismissed. ⁶ They disbelieved (the Quran), so they will receive the news of what they have been mocking. I am sorry if you already were aware of this. Peace be upon you