Astronomers have discovered a repeating radio wave, dubbed FRB 20240209A, originating from outside a dead galaxy, a first-of-its-kind finding. This Fast Radio Burst (FRB) is believed to stem from a cluster of dead stars orbiting the galaxy, which is also no longer active.
The discovery was made by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment Fast Radio Burst (CHIME/FRB) using one of its radio telescopes, CHIME/FRB Outrigger, located in New Jersey, USA. The research was published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters in late January.
Vishwangi Shah, a study co-author, stated that this is not only the first FRB found outside a dead galaxy but also the most distant from the galaxy it's associated with. "The FRB's location is surprising and raises questions about how such energetic events can occur in regions where no new stars are forming," Shah said.
FRBs are intense flashes of radio waves lasting milliseconds, emanating from galaxies millions of light-years away. While most are one-time events, some repeat sporadically, making them ideal for pinpointing their exact location in the sky.
NASA Einstein Fellow Tarraneh Eftekhari, another co-author, said this discovery challenges previous understanding of FRBs and highlights the significant role their environments play in revealing their origins.