Astronomers have discovered the source of mysterious radio signals from deep space that repeat every two hours. The signals originate from a binary system consisting of two stars in a tight orbit, where their magnetic fields regularly collide. This physical collision is believed to produce the radio emissions.
The study, published in Nature Astronomy, marks an important breakthrough in understanding long-period radio transients. These rare pulses are similar to those emitted by rapidly rotating stars called pulsars but have much longer intervals between repetitions.
Researchers found a faint red star, a small but common main sequence star, as the source of the signals. However, this star alone could not produce the signal, indicating that it was in a binary system with another object.
Analysis of light spectra from the red dwarf revealed shifting wavelengths, suggesting movement back and forth, which led to the discovery of a white dwarf companion – a stellar remnant left over after a massive star exploded in a supernova.
Source: https://futurism.com/mysterious-signal-dead-star