Unexpected behavior of blazar BL Lacertae defies classifications
Blazar BL Lacertae surprised scientists with its unpredictable activity. Initially thought to be a variable star, it was later found not to be one. So, what exactly is this mysterious object?
The cosmos has once again surprised space researchers, and Blazar BL Lacertae, known since 1929, has captured scientists' attention anew. It turns out to be no ordinary object that can simply be classified among blazars. Initially considered a variable star, it was later identified as an active galaxy emitting powerful streams of matter. Recent observations from 2020 to 2023 have shown that its behavior does not conform to any of the three known categories of blazars.
Blazars, or active galaxies that send powerful streams of matter towards Earth, were previously classified based on their electromagnetic radiation. This method of classification was recently questioned due to a mysterious phenomenon that researchers recorded. A group of scientists from Poland and Germany published their new research results in the journal "Astronomy & Astrophysics." They discovered a blazar that does not fit any previously known categories.
Surprising changes in emission: What else will BL Lacertae reveal?
A team of scientists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the University of Heidelberg discovered that BL Lacertae changes its classifications unpredictably, which is unprecedented. Particularly surprising were the changes in X-ray radiation emission, which sparked a debate about the causes of this phenomenon.
BL Lacertae, located in the constellation Lacerta, is approximately 900 million light-years from Earth. According to SciTech Daily, its activity results from processes occurring around a supermassive black hole, leading to the emission of electromagnetic radiation across a wide range, from radio waves to gamma rays.
A new look at blazars
Observations were conducted using the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory satellite and the NuSTAR telescope. The results encourage further exploration of the mechanisms responsible for the violent changes in the blazar's emission. This might mean that new physical theories will be required to fully understand these phenomena.
