|
SGR 1900+14 |
|
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 |
|
|---|---|
| Constellation | Aquila |
| Right ascension | 19h 07m 16.85s |
| Declination | +09° 18' 50.4"' |
| Characteristics | |
| Variable type | Gamma ray burst |
| Astrometry | |
| Distance | 20 kly (6.1 kpc) |
| Details | |
| Mass | ? M☉ |
| Rotation | 5.2[1] |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
| Data sources: | |
| Hipparcos Catalogue, CCDM (2002), Bright Star Catalogue (5th rev. ed.) |
|
SGR 1900+14 is a soft gamma repeater (SGR), located in the constellation of Aquila about 45,000 light-years away. It is assumed to be an example of an intensely magnetic star, known as a magnetar, but it could also be a super-magnetic quark star. It is thought to have formed after a fairly recent supernova explosion.
An intense gamma-ray burst from this star was detected on August 27, 1998; shortly thereafter a new radio source appeared in that region of the sky.[2]
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope detected a mysterious ring around SGR 1900+14 at two narrow infrared frequencies in 2005 and 2007. The 2007 Spitzer image showed no discernible change in the ring after two years. The ring measures seven light-years across. The origin of the ring is currently unknown and is the subject of an article in the May 29, 2008 issue of the journal Nature.[3]