Stars known as magnetars are some of the most mysterious and powerful objects in the universe, and new research has revealed new clues about how they form. A team of researchers from the University of Southampton used computer simulations to study the formation of magnetars, and their findings could help solve some of the mysteries behind these objects. The team’s simulations show that magnetars form when fast-spinning stars collapse and their cores collapse into a neutron star. The core then produces a powerful magnetic field, which can be up to a quadrillion times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field. This magnetic field can cause the star to emit powerful bursts of X-rays and gamma rays, making it detectable to observatories here on Earth. The team’s findings could help us better understand how magnetars form, and give us insight into the evolution of stars in the universe.

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source: Phys.org