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NASA’s IXPE Studies Magnetar
NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observed magnetar 1E 1547-5408 in early 2025. The study may have captured empty space behaving as physicists predicted for 90 years.
Why it matters
Confirming this long-standing theory helps scientists understand how the universe's strongest magnetic fields affect the vacuum of space, advancing our knowledge of fundamental physics.
The details
- Observations took place between March and April 2025 for over 140 hours.
- Magnetars are neutron stars with the strongest magnetic fields in the observable universe.
- These fields are a trillion times stronger than Earth's strongest permanent magnets.
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In this article
Key connections
IXPE is built with X-ray Polarimetry
IXPE utilizes X-ray polarimetry to conduct space observations.
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