China's Einstein Probe (EP) satellite has detected a mysterious, transient celestial object that flickers like fireworks, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). This unprecedented discovery, announced in initial results published on Thursday, marks a significant milestone in our understanding of the universe.
The transient object, named EP240408a, was observed on April 8 by the EP satellite. It exhibited a violent X-ray flare, increasing in brightness by 300 times and lasting only 12 seconds before fading away. The X-ray emissions from this cosmic phenomenon disappeared approximately 10 days later, making them challenging to detect with other X-ray and multi-wavelength telescopes.
\"It is difficult for other X-ray and multi-wavelength telescopes to detect,\" said Yuan Weimin, principal investigator of the EP mission and a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of CAS.
\"This finding suggests that our previous understanding of transient celestial phenomena may be just the tip of the iceberg,\" Yuan added.
The recent discovery has been published in the latest issue of the Chinese academic journal SCIENCE CHINA: Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy.
Reference(s):
China's Einstein Probe discovers 'fireworks' of the universe
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