Universe Sandbox

Universe Sandbox Legacy => Universe Sandbox 2008 | Discussion => Topic started by: SuperNova on July 19, 2009, 01:45:41 AM

Title: Update Idea 1: Magnetar
Post by: SuperNova on July 19, 2009, 01:45:41 AM

wound it be cool to make magnetars?

what's a magnetar?
A magnetar is a type of neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field, the decay of which powers the emission of copious amounts of high-energy electromagnetic radiation, particularly X-rays and gamma rays.[1] The theory regarding these objects was proposed by Robert Duncan and Christopher Thompson in 1992, but the first recorded burst of gamma rays thought to have been from a magnetar was on March 5, 1979.[2] During the following decade, the magnetar hypothesis has become widely accepted as a likely explanation for soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) and anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs).

Title: Re: Update Idea 1: Magnetar
Post by: monmarfori on July 19, 2009, 02:03:39 AM

They are the known magnetars.
 * SGR 1806-20, located 50,000 light-years from Earth on the far side of our Milky Way galaxy in the constellation of Sagittarius.
    * SGR 1900+14, located 20,000 light-years away in the constellation Aquila. After a long period of low emissions (significant bursts only in 1979 and 1993) it became active in May-August 1998, and a burst detected on August 27, 1998 was of sufficient power to force NEAR Shoemaker to shut-down to prevent damage and to saturate instruments on BeppoSAX, WIND and RXTE. On May 29, 2008, NASA's Spitzer telescope discovered a ring of matter around this magnetar. It is thought that this ring formed in the 1998 burst. [14]
    * 1E 1048.1-5937, located 9,000 light-years away in the constellation Carina. The original star, from which the magnetar formed, had a mass 30 to 40 times that of the Sun.

Title: Re: Update Idea 1: Magnetar
Post by: Bla on July 19, 2009, 06:02:17 AM

Yes, it would be cool, but we'll need to implement dynamic electromagnetic radiation in diffrent wavelengths plus magnetic fields before it will be really useful in the program. :)

Title: Re: Update Idea 1: Magnetar
Post by: atomic7732 on July 19, 2009, 11:46:40 AM

Speaking of magnetic fields, what about solar flares?

Title: Re: Update Idea 1: Magnetar
Post by: Naru523 on July 19, 2009, 03:17:01 PM

I thought the same thing.

Title: Re: Update Idea 1: Magnetar
Post by: Chaotic Cow on July 20, 2009, 05:51:25 PM

Are they called Magnetars or Magnestars?

Title: Re: Update Idea 1: Magnetar
Post by: Dan Dixon on July 20, 2009, 09:29:18 PM

Looks like it's Magnetar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetars

And it's a cool idea, although adding magnetic fields would be a big project. Still working on updating the UI. :)