An international team led by astronomers from Curtin University in Australia and the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) has discovered a new type of stellar object, the ultra-long period magnetar - a rare type of star with extremely strong magnetic fields that can produce powerful bursts of energy. The discovery has important implications for our understanding of the physics of neutron stars and the behavior of magnetic fields in extreme environments. It also raises new questions about the formation and evolution of magnetars and could shed light on the origin of mysterious phenomena such as fast radio bursts.