Evidence for vacuum birefringence from the first optical-polarimetry measurement of the isolated neutron star RX J1856.5-3754

The 'Magnificent Seven' (M7) are a group of radio-quiet isolated neutron stars discovered in the soft X-rays through their purely thermal surface emission. Owing to the large inferred magnetic fields (B approximate to 10(13) G), radiation from these sources is expected to be substantially polarized, independently of the mechanism actually responsible for the thermal emission. A large observed polarization degree (PD) is, however, expected only if quantum-electrodynamic (QED) polarization effects are present in the magnetized vacuum around the star. The detection of a strong linearly polarized signal would therefore provide the first observational evidence of QED effects in the strong-field regime. While polarization measurements in the soft X-rays are not feasible yet, optical polarization measurements are within reach also for quite faint targets, like the M7 which have optical counterparts with magnitudes approximate to 26-28. Here, we report on the measurement of optical linear polarization for the prototype, and brightest member, of the class, RX J1856.5-3754 (V similar to 25.5), the first ever for one of the M7, obtained with the Very Large Telescope. We measured a PD = 16.43 +/- 5.26 per cent and a polarization position angle PA = 145 degrees.39 +/- 9 degrees.44, computed east of the North Celestial Meridian. The PD that we derive is large enough to support the presence of vacuum birefringence, as predicted by QED.