Powerful Magnetar Blast from Another Galaxy
Powerful Magnetar Blast from Another Galaxy
http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1627_1.asp
On December 27, 2004, astronomers were stunned when more than a dozen
spacecraft picked up a powerful burst of gamma rays from the other side
of our galaxy. For two-tenths of a second, it doused Earth with a
higher rate of energy than any previous observed object outside the
solar system. The culprit was a highly magnetized neutron star -- a
magnetar -- known as SGR 1806-20.
Fortunately, astronomers didn't have to wait long for their next
magnetar giant flare. On November 3rd, at least six spacecraft picked
up a powerful burst of gamma rays coming from an area in Ursa Major in
the general direction of M81 and M82, two relatively large galaxies
located about 12 million light-years away. Most of the flare's energy
was packed into a pulse lasting just one-tenth of a second. If the
burst originated in M81 or M82, the total energy and spectrum closely
resemble the December 2004 giant flare from SGR 1806-20.
See: http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1627_1.asp
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