Astronomers have found strong evidence that a class of mysterious X-ray flashes, lasting only minutes, comes from the collision of two neutron stars. Such a merger, they now believe, can produce a magnetar — an extremely magnetized neutron star.
One newly observed event stood out because it glowed in X-rays for nearly 10 minutes, far longer than typical flashes of this kind. That record-breaking duration gave researchers a rare, extended look at the aftermath of a cosmic collision.
The result suggests these bright, brief X-ray bursts could serve as a new signpost for finding magnetars. If confirmed, it would give astronomers another way to locate some of the most extreme objects in the universe. The source reports only this single study, so no conflicting findings are noted.