We are delighted to celebrate two incredible OzGrav members who have been featured in the September issue of Nature Astronomy. OzGrav’s Creative Technologist and Scientific Visualisation Specialist, Carl Knox, created the captivating cover image depicting CSIRO’s ASKAP radio telescope alongside two versions of a mysterious celestial object: a neutron star or a white dwarf. The artwork brings to life the groundbreaking research led by OzGrav Associate Investigator, Dr. Manisha Caleb.

Dr. Caleb’s paper, published in Nature Astronomy in July, reveals the discovery of a slow-spinning neutron star that defies conventional astrophysics. Most neutron stars rotate in mere seconds, but this one takes nearly an hour—a finding that challenges our understanding of these dense celestial objects. Dr. Caleb explained, “It is highly unusual to discover a neutron star candidate emitting radio pulsations in this way. The fact that the signal is repeating at such a leisurely pace is extraordinary.”

Carl’s visualisation accompanies Dr. Caleb’s incredible research and perfectly captures the intrigue and mystery of this unusual celestial phenomenon. Their work together represents the power of combining science and art to deepen public understanding and appreciation of space discoveries.

Congratulations to both Manisha and Carl for their outstanding contributions to astronomy and for representing OzGrav on the international stage!

Read more about the discovery here