Astronomers Detect Radio Pattern ‘Like a Heartbeat’ From a Galaxy Far Away

MIT News-Good News Network ^ | Jul 16, 2022 | Jennifer Chu,

[LucyT]

Astronomers at MIT—and universities in Canada and the US—have detected a strange and persistent radio signal from a far-off galaxy that appears to be flashing with surprising regularity.

The signal is classified as a fast radio burst, or FRB — an intensely strong burst of radio waves of unknown astrophysical origin, that typically lasts for a few milliseconds at most. However, this new signal persists for up to three seconds, about 1,000 times longer than the average FRB. Within this window, the team detected bursts of radio waves that repeat every 0.2 seconds in a clear periodic pattern, similar to a beating heart.

The source of the signal lies in a distant galaxy, several billion light-years from Earth.

[LucyT]

Exactly what that source might be remains a mystery, though astronomers suspect the signal could emanate from either a radio pulsar or a magnetar “on steroids”. Both are types of neutron stars — extremely dense, rapidly spinning collapsed cores of giant stars.

“There are not many things in the universe that emit strictly periodic signals,” says Daniele Michilli, a postdoc in MIT’s Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research.

[LucyT]

*

PING

[Flint]

Perhaps Rush is tuning up a new EIB Network.

[Radio Free Tuscaloosa]

Still waiting on all the prime numbers between 2 and 101.

[DannyTN]

We are getting really good if we can detect heartbeats in far away galaxies.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

[Pollard]

Lenny Bruce is not afraid

[P.O.E.]

Heartbeat? It's a Love Beat

[Reily]

They’re building a CHIME at Greenbank, WV with an analytical node at WVU.

[R_Kangel]

"The source of the signal lies in a distant galaxy, several billion light-years from Earth...."

.... So ... Considering the distance ..... Basically these signals are actually several Billion years old!?!

.

[Ken H]

A long time ago...

[drop 50 and fire for effect]

…in a galaxy far far away…

[Deaf Smith]

Sir! Flash Message from RBK73!

[George from New England]

I’ve deciphered the Morse code and they have a request

“Send more Chuck Berry”

[itsahoot]

Perhaps Rush is tuning up a new EIB Network.

Post of the day for me.

[T.B. Yoits]

“Heartbeat” signal from space? Possibly two quasars aligned towards Earth.

[Born in 1950]

Unless the aliens are earth orbiting and are bouncing the signals off an object 1/2 several billion light years away in order to fool us.

[Titus-Maximus]

It’s Morse code for “Epstein didn’t kill himself”

[showme_the_Glory]

V Ger

[be-baw]

It would have to be unless they’re traveling faster than the speed of light.