With the Power of Million Suns, Unusual Radio Burst from Deep Space Excite Astronomers

In a first of its kind observation, researchers have caught an unusual burst of radio waves from deep space as it happened.

The Independent reported that the burst lasted only a few seconds but its energy component was million times higher than what the sun produces. According to researchers, the source of waves could be about 5.5 billion light years. Though the exact nature of the source is not known, researchers surmise it could be a massive neutron star throwing out energy.

"Such bursts were generally discovered week, months or even more than a decade after they happened. We are the first to catch one in real time," said Emily Petroff, a PhD student at Swinburne University, in a news release.

Petroff, whose work is instrumental in catching the radio burst, is working with a team of international researchers and astronomers. Her work led her to anticipate the recent burst. Telescopes from around the world, capable of seeing various spectrums, were kept on standby and followed the cue of Parkes radio telescope in Australia which first caught the burst to identify the source.

"We can rule out some ideas because no counterparts were seen in the optical, infrared, ultraviolet or X-ray. However, the neat idea that we are seeing a neutron star imploding into a black hole remains a possibility," said CSIRO's Head of Astrophysics, Dr Simon Johnston.

The Blaze reported that six fast radio bursts, like the last one were noticed but after their occurrences since 2007 by Parks Radio Telescope but the source is yet to be identified.

Petroof however remained confident that the source would soon be identified.

"We've set the trap. Now we just have to wait for another burst to fall into it," she said.