Astronomers Discover Unprecedented Spinning Star That Accelerates Over Time

Astronomers have identified a peculiar celestial object that challenges existing physics principles and is exhibiting an unprecedented increase in its rotation speed. Designated CHIME J1634+44, this entity emits intense radio signals in a manner never before observed by scientists. It belongs to a newly recognized category of space phenomena known as Long Period Radio Transients (LPTs), characterized by their notably slow rotation periods, sometimes spanning minutes or hours. What sets CHIME J1634+44 apart is its apparent acceleration over time, as its spin period diminishes—an anomaly considering that typical neutron stars or white dwarfs tend to slow down with age. This acceleration suggests a phenomenon never recorded in LPTs until now. The discovery was spearheaded by Fengqiu Adam Dong, a Jansky Fellow at the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory. His team employed leading radio telescopes including the Green Bank Telescope (NSF GBT), the Very Large Array (NSF VLA), and the Canadian CHIME observatory. Additionally, NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory contributed by monitoring for X-ray emissions. CHIME J1634+44 displays repetitive radio bursts with irr...