X-Ray Eyes Reveal the Magnetic Secrets of the Lighthouse Pulsar's Cosmic Wake
Astronomers have used X-ray data to study the Lighthouse pulsar, a high-energy stellar remnant moving through the Milky Way at 990 kilometers per second. The study highlights the pulsar's unique bow shock and the resulting X-ray wake that stretches 37 light years.
Why it matters
Understanding extreme objects like pulsars helps scientists better comprehend stellar evolution and the physics of the interstellar medium.
Occasionally, when a massive star dies in a supernova, it can leave behind a dense, rapidly spinning core known as a pulsar. These extreme objects are some of the most fascinating in the universe, and are extremely useful for astronomers when measuring distances or navigating the void of space. A new paper from Jack Dinsmore, a graduate student at Stanford, and his co-authors, and published in The Astrophysical Journal, takes a look at some of the features of one of the most famous examples of a pulsar - PSR J1101-6101, commonly known as the Lighthouse pulsar.
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