10 Strangest Objects in the Universe
Table of Contents
The technological advancements in the field of astronomy have allowed the researchers to discover some of the strangest objects in the universe.
Despite the fact that we can find countless weird phenomena lurking throughout the cosmos, some of them are just too weird in comparison to others. Below is a list of 10 strangest objects (with images) in the universe that could surprise you completely.
Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs)
Researchers encountered these ultra-strong radio signals for the first time in 2007. They are extremely bright flashes that last for only a few milliseconds. Scientists haven’t been able to figure out the source of FRBs but a recent observation of a repeating FBR (6 consecutive radio signals were detected) might help them to unravel this mystery.
Nuclear Pasta
This linguini-like tangles of material are much stranger than its name. It is regarded as the strongest substance in the entire universe. Ironically, it is formed from the remains of a dead star when extraordinary gravitational pressure fuses protons and neutrons in the shrunken shell of a star. According to an estimate of scientists, this material can be broken by applying 10 billion times the force needed to smash steel.
Haumea
Haumea is a dwarf planet which is orbiting in the Kuiper Belt. Although scientists don’t know much about it, they have already found some irregularities about this object. The fastest-spinning large object in our solar system has two moons and completes a day in only 4 hours. In addition to that, it has extremely thin rings around it. All these features make it one of the strangest objects in our solar system.
A Galaxy without Dark Matter
Despite the fact that no one has been able to see the dark matter, most of the scientists unanimously agree that it is the most abundant substance of our universe. What’s even stranger is that a team of researchers found a peculiar galaxy (in March 2018) with hardly any dark matter in it. Funny thing is that subsequent research discovered the existence of dark matter in this galaxy but by using a theory which defies the existence of the substance, in the first place.
Tabby’s Star
The scientific name of this star is KIC 846285 but it is commonly known as the Tabby’s star. It experiences a dip in brightness for odd lengths of time at irregular intervals and astronomers haven’t been able to figure out a logical explanation for this unusual behavior. After considering a plethora of theories, scientists have finally agreed to the idea that an abnormal ring of dust is responsible for the darkening of the star.
Hyperion
If you are interested in knowing the strangest moon of our solar system, in terms of its appearance, the Hyperion of Saturn is the most likely candidate to win this race. Firstly, it is an irregular, pumice-like rock with several craters on its surface. The thing which makes it one of the strangest objects in the universe is its particle beam of static electricity, which is flowing continuously into space.
Guiding Neutrino
Humanity observed a single, high-energy neutrino on 22nd September 2017 which had sufficient information to guide researchers about its origin. Consequently, powerful telescopes were pointed in that direction to observe that a far-flung supermassive black hole threw that neutrino towards Earth, some 4 billion years ago.
DGSAT 1
This ultra-diffuse galaxy (UDG) is often referred to as a living fossil due to its formation period. According to an estimate, this faint object was born just 1 billion years after the Big Bang, a completely different era in the universe as compared to other UDGs. As a result, DGSAT 1 sits all alone, unlike other UDGs, which are generally found in clusters. All these reasons place this galaxy in the list of strangest objects of our universe.
Rogue Planet with Auroras
The term ‘Rogue Planets’ refer to those celestial bodies that have gone astray from their parent star due to gravitational forces. One such planet called SIMP J01365663+0933473 makes this list of strangest objects in the universe as it has an incredibly powerful magnetic field (200 times stronger than Jupiter). The strength of this field can be judged by the fact that flashing auroras can be seen (with radio telescopes) in its atmosphere.
Double Quasar
The curving of light around massive objects allows us to see the image of things behind them. Scientists tried to use the Hubble Space Telescope of NASA to analyze an ancient quasar and found that it is expanding at a much faster rate than in the past. This is a major contradiction of previous measurements that forced the scientists to give it another look. In these circumstances, they can either update their existing models or figure out the strange happenings behind this variation.
Computer Scientist by qualification who loves to read, write, eat, and travel