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Flash of luck: Astronomers find cosmic radio burst source

Space Cosmic Bursts
Chris Smith/AP
This image from video animation provided by NASA in November 2020 depicts a powerful X-ray burst erupting from a magnetar – a supermagnetized version of a stellar remnant known as a neutron star. A radio burst detected April 28, 2020, occurred during a flare-up like this on a magnetar called SGR 1935. The radio signal was more powerful than any previously seen in our galaxy. The simultaneous X-ray and radio events implicate magnetars as a likely source of mysterious fast radio bursts observed from other galaxies. (Chris Smith (USRA)/NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center via AP)
Space Cosmic Bursts
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(AP) — In a flash of luck, astronomers have solved a mystery about weird cosmic radio bursts.

These fast radio bursts happen so quick scientists hadn't been able to figure out what's causing them until now.

In Wednesday's announcement, astronomers say they can trace an April outburst to our own galaxy and a type of powerful energetic young star called a magnetar.

Magnetars may not be the only cause of these bursts.

Astronomers say every day there maybe 1,000 of these powerful bursts that last a fraction of a second but you have to be in the right place and time to track them.

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