Astronomers Just Found a Magnetar That Breaks All the Rules
Magnetars are among the most extreme objects in the universe—ultra-dense neutron stars with magnetic fields trillions of times stronger than Earth’s. But a recent discovery is turning our understanding of their origins upside down.
Using data from NASA’s Hubble and ESA’s Gaia space telescopes, scientists traced the motion of a magnetar named SGR 0501+4516—and what they found is shocking. Contrary to long-standing beliefs, this magnetar likely didn’t form from a typical core-collapse supernova.
SGR 0501 sits near a known supernova remnant called HB9, and for years, scientists assumed the two were connected. But precision tracking shows the magnetar couldn’t have come from HB9—or any nearby supernova explosion.
So where did it come from?
Researchers propose a more exotic origin: a white dwarf that collapsed after feeding off a companion star, growing too massive and unstable. This alternative path could form a magnetar without any supernova at all.
If confirmed, SGR 0501+4516 would be the strongest case yet for a magnetar formed through an unconventional route—forcing astronomers to rethink how these magnetic monsters are born and opening new doors in high-energy astrophysics.
RESEARCH
A.A. Chrimes et al., “The infrared counterpart and proper motion of magnetar SGR 0501+4516”, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2025)
Astronomers Just Found a Magnetar That Breaks All the Rules
Magnetars are among the most extreme objects in the universe—ultra-dense neutron stars with magnetic fields trillions of times stronger than Earth’s. But a recent discovery is turning our understanding of their origins upside down.
Using data from NASA’s Hubble and ESA’s Gaia space telescopes, scientists traced the motion of a magnetar named SGR 0501+4516—and what they found is shocking. Contrary to long-standing beliefs, this magnetar likely didn’t form from a typical core-collapse supernova.
SGR 0501 sits near a known supernova remnant called HB9, and for years, scientists assumed the two were connected. But precision tracking shows the magnetar couldn’t have come from HB9—or any nearby supernova explosion.
So where did it come from?
Researchers propose a more exotic origin: a white dwarf that collapsed after feeding off a companion star, growing too massive and unstable. This alternative path could form a magnetar without any supernova at all.
If confirmed, SGR 0501+4516 would be the strongest case yet for a magnetar formed through an unconventional route—forcing astronomers to rethink how these magnetic monsters are born and opening new doors in high-energy astrophysics.
RESEARCH
A.A. Chrimes et al., “The infrared counterpart and proper motion of magnetar SGR 0501+4516”, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2025)
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