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GPM J1839−10 is a repeating cosmic radio source whose pulses arrive about every 21 minutes. Astronomers found archival detections dating back to at least 1988, giving the 2023 discovery study a roughly 35-year historical baseline. Its underlying physical identity remains unknown; the records do not show that it has emitted continuously or establish whether it is still active today.
What astronomers observed
The 2023 study by Hurley-Walker and colleagues classified GPM J1839−10 as a long-period radio transient. Its reported period is about 21 minutes, but the signal is not a steady radio tone: individual pulses last from 30 to 300 seconds. Their brightness varies by two orders of magnitude, and the pulses show quasi-periodic structure within them. The University of Manchester record for the Nature study gives the abstract and publication details.
Why the signal is described as lasting 35 years
After detecting the source, the researchers searched archived radio observations and found earlier detections reaching back to at least 1988. That historical record is the basis for the roughly 35-year framing when the study appeared online on 19 July 2023 and in the 20 July 2023 issue of Nature. “Since at least 1988” means that observations show activity at times across that span; it does not mean astronomers monitored it continuously or that it has been confirmed active through 2026.
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One familiar explanation for repeating astronomical radio pulses is a pulsar: a rotating neutron star whose magnetic axis is misaligned with its rotation axis. As it spins, its radio beam sweeps past Earth, much like a lighthouse beam passing an observer. GPM J1839−10’s unusually slow, roughly 21-minute period makes it difficult to reconcile with expectations for ordinary radio pulsars. Victoria M. Kaspi’s Nature News & Views discussion describes this puzzle and the proposed alternatives.
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What could be producing the pulses?
Researchers have considered both neutron-star and white-dwarf interpretations. These are candidate explanations, not confirmed identifications.
| Candidate | Why it is considered | What remains difficult |
|---|---|---|
| Neutron star | A rotating neutron star can produce pulsed radio emission when its magnetic geometry directs a beam toward Earth. | The very long period is hard to reconcile with standard radio-pulsar expectations, and the model does not readily explain the observed bright coherent pulses. |
| Highly magnetic white dwarf | A highly magnetic, rotating white dwarf is another proposed kind of compact object that could be associated with long-period radio emission. | The proposal has unresolved theoretical challenges and does not readily account for the bright coherent pulses either. |
A 2024 population study examined rotating-dipole scenarios for isolated neutron stars and white dwarfs. It found substantial difficulties for both candidate classes in explaining long-period radio pulsars and their emission; it did not establish that either class is ruled out or identify GPM J1839−10. The University of Hertfordshire record for the study provides its abstract and DOI.
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Has astronomers’ 21-minute signal been explained?
No. The observed repetition pattern and long historical record are established, but the source’s physical nature is not. Calling it a neutron star, a white dwarf, or a particular kind of pulsar would go beyond what the cited studies demonstrate. The available studies also do not establish its present-day emission status.
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