Happy Halloween! Astronomers Spot Ghostly Hand in Space
Published on October 31, 2021
Astronomers have made a chilling discovery just in time for Halloween. A ghostly skeleton hand has been spotted floating in outer space, approximately 16,000 light-years away from Earth.
The eerie image was captured by NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), a state-of-the-art X-ray telescope. The pulsar wind nebula named MSH 15-52 displayed shadowy finger-like protrusions formed from energetic particles, creating a distinct shape resembling a ghostly hand.
Pulsars are rapidly spinning neutron stars, which are the remains of collapsed supergiant stars. These celestial bodies emit powerful magnetic fields that propel highly energized particles into space, forming what is known as a pulsar wind nebula.
In the case of MSH 15-52, these particle jets took on the appearance of a haunting hand, making it a fitting celestial apparition for the Halloween season.
“The charged particles producing the X-rays travel along the magnetic field, determining the basic shape of the nebula, like the bones do in a person’s hand,” explained Roger Romani, lead author of a new paper published in the Astrophysical Journal.
NASA’s IXPE dedicated a remarkable 17 days to observe this nebula, marking the longest observation of a single object since its launch in 2021.
“We’re all familiar with X-rays as a diagnostic medical tool for humans,” said Josephine Wong, co-author and Stanford physics PhD. “Here we’re using X-rays in a different way, but they are again revealing information that is otherwise hidden from us.”
This observation offers new insights into how magnetic fields within pulsar wind nebulas interact with their surroundings. The data suggests that the magnetic fields receive a significant boost near the hand’s “wrist,” before spreading out to areas where these fields are more uniform.
“We’ve uncovered the life history of super energetic matter and antimatter particles around the pulsar,” said Niccolò Di Lalla, co-author and Stanford postdoctoral research fellow. “This teaches us about how pulsars can act as particle accelerators.”
The discovery of the ghostly hand nebula adds a touch of spookiness to the wonders of the universe, reminding us that even in space, Halloween spirit can be found.
More on nebulas: James Webb Spots Numerous Pairs of Planets, Hanging Out With No Stars