A team of NASA researchers has uncovered a massive fracture in the Milky Way galaxy’s structure, caused by a pulsar travelling at astonishing speeds.
The cosmic feature, known as G359.13, is one of the longest and brightest structures identified near the centre of the galaxy.
Using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and South Africa’s MeerKAT radio array, scientists determined that the fracture was the result of a collision between a pulsar and G359.13. The pulsar, a highly magnetised, rotating neutron star, smashed into the structure at a staggering velocity, ranging between one million and two million miles per hour.
This groundbreaking discovery offers fresh insights into the dynamic and sometimes violent nature of the Milky Way, highlighting the impact of fast-moving celestial objects. The findings have been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, providing astronomers with new clues about the inner workings of our galaxy.
