For the first metre ever , astronomers have caught a curious   cosmological phenomenon in the routine — an immense but fleeting flash of receiving set waves emanating from an unsung source in the universe . These spectacular clap , which are called fast wireless bursts ( FRBs ) , are ill understand , but the latest breakthrough could finally aid scientists understand what they are and where they grow from .

FRBsare exceedingly hefty outcome equal to of spewing out as much vigour as our sunlight does in hundreds of thousands of class , but they only last a few milliseconds . Since their find back in 2007 , when they were identified from archival Parkes Telescope data , a furtherseven burstshave been recorded from two telescope , one in Australia and one in Puerto Rico . However , they were only ever observed weeks or even years after the actual event happen .

driven to catch one in the act , scientists develop a proficiency that would allow them to really explore for these event so that they can be show in real time , rather than relying on old data . Now , thanks to this method , a team of investigator has finally managed to capture one of these bursts as it pass .

The FRB was detected on   May 14 , 2014 , by stargazer Emily Petroff and colleagues who were using the Parkes wireless telescope . The radio waves seemed to be coming from a root approximately5.5 billion wanton - yearsfrom Earth , near the constellationAquarius . Twelve other telescopes , both flat coat - based and in space , were then calculate towards the origin over the next few hour , turn on the researchers to make observance in a range of different wavelength , including seeable light , UV and X - electron beam . They desire that this data might offer some cue on the origin of the burst , but no afterglow was observe .

While this think of that the reservoir could not be identified , the absence of data from other wavelengths did offer some brainwave because it assist the scientist rid of a couple of candidates , including gamma - ray bursts and supernovae . Furthermore , the Parkes data soften more clues about the outcome because itrevealedthat the wave were circularly polarize . Polarizationdescribes the orientation course of wave oscillation;circularly polarise wavesvibrate in two planes , whereas the oscillations oflinearly polarized wavesare confined to one . According to the researchers , this suggests that there could be a magnetised field near the root , although they say the measurement are unmanageable to read .

Although the investigator have n’t managed to associate the outburst with any special events , theyhypothesizethat it could have been link up with an exceedingly heavyset object , such as a neutron star or black hole . Now that the scientist have a just approximation of what to look for , hopefully more of these events can be follow in literal - time so that we can eventually understand their progenitors and parentage .

[ ViaUniversity of Copenhagen , New Scientist , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyandEarthsky ]