(NewsNation) — NASA released photographs showing the “bones” of a ghostly hand in space, taken by X-ray telescopes.
The bones are actually the magnetic fields in a field of particles of energized matter and antimatter from a dead, collapsed star.
The giant star collapsed on itself roughly 1,500 years ago, forming what is called a neutron star. The conditions in a neutron star with strong magnetic fields, or pulsars, create conditions that can’t be replicated on Earth, including jets of matter and antimatter and an intense wind.
Using the data from two telescopes, astronomers hope to learn more about how pulsars are injecting particles into space. One pulsar wind nebula, known as MSH 15-52, has a shape similar to a human hand. The data from X-ray telescopes has given NASA the first map of the magnetic fields that shape the nebula.
Based on the data, scientists theorize that particles get an energy boost from turbulent regions near the base of the palm then flow to areas in the wrist, fingers and thumb where magnetic fields are more uniform.
“We’ve uncovered the life history of super energetic matter and antimatter particles around the pulsar,” said co-author Niccolò Di Lalla of Stanford. “This teaches us about how pulsars can act as particle accelerators.”
The results from the research have been published in The Astrophysical Journal.