Two years ago, scientists identified a gigantic magnetar near the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole. Magnetars are collapsed neutron stars with extremely powerful magnetic fields. This particular magnetar happens also to be the closest interstellar entity to the 4-million-solar mass black hole in the middle of the Milky Way galaxy, at a distance of approximately 0.3 light-years (at least 2 trillion miles). In recent discoveries, the magnetar — nicknamed SGR 1745-2900, for research purposes — appears to have not only a higher observed amount of x-rays than previously observed magnetars, but also maintains much higher surface temperatures.
Into the heart of the Milky Way’s darkness — light at the nucleus
It all started when astronomers wanted to observe the circuit of the magnetar around the black hole (called the “sagittarius A-star”) at the center of the Milky Way. Scientists have long concluded that our entire galaxy revolved around this black hole, and until recently did not detect the one galactic body that lives appallingly close to the black hole. Scientists are predicting that it sits at least 2 trillion miles away from the center of the hole. This seems like an indomitable distance, but when the magnitude of the black hole’s 4-million-sun mass is factored in, the position of the magnetar seems exceedingly precarious.
This magnetar, observed using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the ESA’s XMM-Newton, is showing peculiar signs. The studies derived from the space telescopes have indicated specifically that the magnetar’s surface is much hotter than expected of its star type, and that its x-ray emissions appear to be lowering at a rate slower than that of other observed magnetars. Scientists first turned to the phenomenon of “starquakes” to expand on the theory for an explanation. When neutron stars form, a crust develops on its condensed surface. In some cases, this crust will crack and fracture, just like earth’s surface does during an earthquake.
Ultimately, however, the researchers dispelled this possible explanation, since they garnered information showing that the speed at which surface temperatures are cooling, and at which the light of x-rays on the star is fading, didn’t exactly match the projections given by the star-quake mechanism.
Particles in magnetic fields may account for magnetar’s high heat
Perhaps a likelier explanation for the magnetar’s dauntingly high temperatures and high supply of x-rays lies in the charged particles trapped in magnetic fields above the star’s surface. Twisted in bundles, these particles (which are created when neutron stars form) may constantly batter the surface below, administering an increased layer of heat on it.
