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Earth is in the firing line of a strange new type of cosmic object, scientists say: a 'microblazar'
Yahoo Tech • • science
Key Points:
- Researchers have identified the strongest candidate yet for a "microblazar," a small-scale version of a blazar, located about 12,000 light-years away in our galaxy and hidden behind dust.
- The object, IRAS 18293-0941, is a binary system with a black hole orbiting a massive star, emitting powerful jets of energy, one of which points toward Earth, matching most predicted microblazar characteristics.
- Unlike typical microblazars, IRAS 18293-0941 lacks rapid brightness variability, possibly due to a dense surrounding gas cloud smoothing out fluctuations.
- This discovery, detailed in a study accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics, is considered significant by experts, as microblazars may help explain some of the universe's most energetic processes and particle acceleration mechanisms.
- The research team used multiple observatories and radio telescope arrays worldwide to gather data, and further investigation is ongoing to confirm additional features such as jet interaction hotspots.
