Chinese observatory finds most powerful particle accelerator in the universe
A China-led team has detected the highest-energy light particle ever recorded, showing that the universe can accelerate matter to 30 times the previously predicted limit. The particle was born in a violent binary system – known as Cygnus X-3 – in the constellation Cygnus. That process involves a dead star stripping material from a massive companion and shooting powerful jets into space. After…
A team from China has discovered the most powerful particle accelerator in the universe, capable of accelerating matter to incredible speeds. This phenomenon was observed in the star system Cygnus X-3, located in the constellation Cygnus. Located on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) captured the particle in March 2024.
Previously, it was believed that particles could only be accelerated to about 1 peta-electron volt (PeV) in star explosions or swirling black holes within the Milky Way. However, the new observations revealed that Cygnus X-3 can accelerate charged particles to at least 30 PeV, more than 2,200 times the energy reached by the Large Hadron Collider, the world's most powerful particle accelerator in Europe.
The discovery was reported in the journal National Science Review and was presented by Cao Zhen, the principal investigator at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This breakthrough provides evidence that Cygnus X-3 is a "super-PeVatron" – a natural accelerator producing particles with energies far beyond 1 PeV, challenging our understanding of how black holes and other compact objects launch particles to their highest energies within the Milky Way.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
