Magnetars stand as the most potent magnets present within the cosmos. These incredibly dense celestial remnants, harboring immensely powerful magnetic fields, are scattered across our galaxy.

Despite their widespread existence, the precise mechanism behind their formation has remained elusive to astronomers, Sci-Tech Daily reported.

Nevertheless, a recent breakthrough has emerged through collaborative efforts employing an array of telescopes globally, including facilities under the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

This groundbreaking achievement involves the identification of a nascent star with the potential to evolve into a magnetar.

This revelation introduces a novel celestial entity into the astronomical repertoire: massive magnetic helium stars. Additionally, this discovery serves to illuminate the origin story of magnetars.

The star known as HD 45166 has intrigued observers for over a century, yet its enigmatic attributes defied easy explication within conventional models.

The extent of knowledge concerning HD 45166 was limited, encompassing its membership in a binary star system, a helium-rich composition, and a mass several times that of our Sun.

Written by staff