 (Click photo to enlarge.) |
A small, dense object only twelve miles in diameter is responsible for this beautiful X-ray nebula that spans 150 light years. At the center of this image made by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory is a very young and powerful pulsar, known as PSR B1509-58, or B1509 for short. The pulsar is a rapidly spinning neutron star which is spewing energy out into the space around it to create complex and intriguing structures, including one that resembles a large cosmic hand. In this image, the lowest energy X-rays that Chandra detects are red, the medium range is green, and the most energetic ones are colored blue. Astronomers think that B1509 is about 1700 years old and is located about 17,000 light years away.
Neutron stars are created when massive stars run out of fuel and collapse. B1509 is spinning completely around almost 7 times every second and is releasing energy into its environment at a prodigious rate – presumably because it has an intense magnetic field at its surface, estimated to be 15 trillion times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field.
The combination of rapid rotation and ultra-strong magnetic field makes B1509 one of the most powerful electromagnetic generators in the Galaxy. This generator drives an energetic wind of electrons and ions away from the neutron star. As the electrons move through the magnetized nebula, they radiate away their energy and create the elaborate nebula seen by Chandra.
Chandra is a true favorite for so many astronomy buffs. Including yours truly.
How do they determine that it is 12 miles in diameter?
“Astronomers think that B1509 is about 1700 years old and is located about 17,000 light years away.”
It should read “as we see it the pulsar is 1700 years old. We are just now seeing it 17,000 years after the fact.”
Obvious to a few but not to the many.
God is totally bitch-slapping that star cluster.
#2 wtf
So they should really say that it is 18,700 years old.
🙂
No, the many wouldn’t know.
God: Pull my finger! Go ‘head, I dare ya.
Here a favorite Chandra image of mine. Actually, it is composite of Chandra and Hubble images of the Cat’s Eye nebula. The symmetry is stunning.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080804.html
#4, I concur.
It’s incredible that we can detect something that small so far away.
I’m also excited about what GOCE will find, few people know about space eddies that are caused by the Earth flying through space, that Einstein predicted.
That the Sci-Fi show Farscape exploited 🙂
But as usual, Stargate beat all the other Sci-Fi shows into cancellation.
Alfred1, what’s your take on this? A pulsar or a fire breathing ghost?
I’m looking at a freak’n fire breathing ghost!
Hey Pulsar, don’t touch me there… Oh it’s like catholic school all over again… 8(
We don’t really know for sure how far it is away.
We can only guess using perceptions we have made in our own heads.
The distance can be greater or lesser depending on many factors. So this is our best guess.
Though obviously PSR B1509-58 has raised its hand to ask a question.
Cursor_
Too old to be God. Must be Ted Stevens.
So that’s where Dr. Manhattan went at the end of the movie.
Neutron stars are created when massive stars run out of fuel and collapse.
B1509 is spinning completely around almost 7 times every second and is releasing energy into its environment at a prodigious rate, because it has an intense magnetic field at its surface, estimated to be 15 trillion times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field.
That’s enough to really screw up your watch.
With a 12 mi. dia. and 7 rps, the instantaneous velocity at its equator is about 950,000 mph.
B1509’s nebula is 15 times wider than the Crab’s diameter of 10 light years.
Looks like a galatic fisting…
That’s Jesus hand trying to push off the bloody crown of thorns.
Darn, I forgot to include an image of the Crab Nebula for comparison.
The nebula was first observed by John Bevis, and corresponds to a bright supernova recorded by Chinese and Arab astronomers in 1054.
It’s grown a lot in 955 years.
It’s the first object in Messier’s catalog (M1) in Taurus, and it’s an amazing sight in even small telescopes.
Amazing.
this is an amazing picture of a pulsar. I showed my parents this picture snd they were amazed. It sort os looks like the hand of god. weird huh?
this is sooooooooooo amazing! i have emailed this one picture to alot of people and everyone resons saying,”amazing” plus, how do they know it is 1,700 years old. I am impressed. go to http://www.chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2009/b1509 to see more pictures of this pulsar. or google and look at young pulsar shows its hand.