Remains of extremely rare cosmic ‘gold factory’ discovered
Scientists suggest that a mysterious high-energy gamma-ray source in the Milky Way, known as HESS J1507−622, may be the remnant of a kilonova. This rare cosmic event, caused by the collision of two neutron stars, is known to produce heavy elements like gold.
Why it matters
This discovery provides a potential explanation for a long-standing astronomical mystery and deepens our understanding of how heavy elements are forged in the universe.
Remains of extremely rare cosmic ‘gold factory’ discovered A high-energy gamma-ray source in the Milky Way , whose origin has long remained unexplained, could be emerging from the cataclysmic, gold -producing collision of the remnants of two stars , a new study suggests.
The energy source, dubbed HESS J1507−622, was detected by the High Energy Stereoscopic System ( Hess ) telescope array in Namibia during 2006-2007.
It stood out due to the gamma rays emerging from the source without any counterpart at lower energies, such as radio waves or X-rays .
The source also lay away from the main plane of the Milky Way, where most of the galaxy's stars and many known high-energy sources are concentrated.
Artistic illustration of a kilonova (R. Dienel, Carnegie Institution for Science via Eurekalert)
Previous research has suggested that the gamma rays could be emerging from the remnants of a supernova stellar explosion.
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