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Summary
DescriptionArtist’s impression of the magnetar in the star cluster Westerlund 1.jpg
English: This artist’s impression shows the magnetar CXOU J164710.2-455216 in the very rich and young star cluster Westerlund 1. This remarkable cluster contains hundreds of very massive stars, some shining with a brilliance of almost one million suns. European astronomers have for the first time demonstrated that this magnetar — an unusual type of neutron star with an extremely strong magnetic field — probably was formed as part of a binary star system. The discovery of the magnetar’s former companion elsewhere in the cluster helps solve the mystery of how a star that started off so massive could become a magnetar, rather than collapse into a black hole.
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Image title
This artist’s impression shows the magnetar in the very rich and young star cluster Westerlund 1. This remarkable cluster contains hundreds of very massive stars, some shining with a brilliance of almost one million suns. European astronomers have for the first time demonstrated that this magnetar — an unusual type of neutron star with an extremely strong magnetic field — probably was formed as part of a binary star system. The discovery of the magnetar’s former companion elsewhere in the cluster helps solve the mystery of how a star that started off so massive could become a magnetar, rather than collapse into a black hole.
Date and time of data generation
12:00, 14 May 2014
Software used
Adobe Photoshop CC (Windows)
Unique ID of original document
xmp.did:218d29e9-c560-7648-9c55-4bdb355d599a
Credit/Provider
ESO/L. Calçada
Source
European Southern Observatory
Short title
Artist’s impression of the magnetar in the star cluster Westerlund 1