In an unprecedented discovery, James Webb provides clues to an astronomical mystery: black hole or neutron star? | Sciences

Scientists announced on Thursday (22) that the supernova remnant is compressed 1987aIt is an extremely powerful stellar explosion known in astronomy, possibly sustaining a neutron star, an ultra-dense celestial body.

This is an unprecedented discovery, the result of observations from the James Webb Ultra Telescope, and is very important for the study of stellar evolution.

It represents discovery First time The effects of high-energy emission from a potentially young neutron star have been directly detected (understand below).

“In our article we discuss different possibilities, explaining that there are only a few possible scenarios, all of which relate to a newborn neutron star,” explains Claes Fransson, lead author of the study reporting the discovery, which was published in the scientific journal Science. .

“With Webb, we now find direct evidence of emission from a newborn compact object, most likely a neutron star.”

Black hole versus neutron star

Therefore, scientists have long speculated that the collapsed core of this supernova could have formed Neutron star Or one Black hole, But this conclusive evidence has been very difficult to confirm, until these recent observations by Webb.

In 1987, observatories here on Earth detected a 10-second burst of tiny particles called neutrinos, hours before SN 1987A was observed in visible light. For scientists, this indicates the clear formation of one of these compact objects. The puzzle will be to figure out which one.

But although there were previous indications of the existence of a neutron star, scientists did not have direct evidence of its existence.

“[Até então] “We have never had any convincing signature of such a newborn object in any supernova explosion,” Fransson added.

Now, thanks to Webb, we have another strong indication that this theory may be true.

Recent Giant Telescope observations have shown signs of high-energy emission, especially from… Ionized argonComing from the center of the supernova remnant SN 1987A (See photo above).

These signals strongly suggest the presence of a source of high-energy radiation, making it very likely that the object is indeed a neutron star.

A remarkable discovery that provides the first direct evidence of the existence of a neutron star after a recent supernova like SN 1987A.

According to a joint statement from NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), more observations of SN 1987A are scheduled this year, using Webb and ground-based telescopes.

The research team hopes that continued studies will provide more clarity about what is happening at the center of the supernova remnant.

These observations should lead to the development of more detailed models, allowing astronomers to better understand not only SN 1987A, but also all the collapsed supernovae in its core, which result from a violent explosion.

Understand in the video below why the James Webb is actually a super telescope.