Space experts have detected strange radio waves emanating from the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. This signal surprised scientists because it was not the same as a similar phenomenon that occurred before, according to a new study.
These radio waves are thought to be not from aliens or the like, but from an unknown space object. Signals that come and go randomly, according to Ziteng Wang of the University of Sydney.
At first, the research team thought the object was a pulsar, a dead star that is dense and spinning very fast. Or it could be a kind of star that emits large flames. However, after examining the source of the radio waves, it turned out not to match the type of star.
This mysterious object was then named according to its coordinates, namely ASKAP J173608.2-321635. "This object is unique, initially invisible, then bright, dimmed, then reappeared. It's really unusual," said Tara Murphy, one of the researchers.
It was detected in a survey of the sky by the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder radio telescope in Western Australia. Follow-up observations were made by radio telescopes in New South Wales and South Africa. However, the source is still undetectable.
"We tried the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa which is more sensitive. Since the signal is intermittent, we observe it for 15 minutes every few weeks, hoping that we can see it again," said Murphy.
For now, it is concluded that existing telescopes have not been able to track what exactly the mysterious object is from radio waves. Murphy stated, the new generation of telescopes that are more powerful like the Square Kilometer Array. This telescope involved several countries, the largest in the world and is expected to be completed in the next decade.