pulsars

By Ewan D. Barr, Arunima Dutta, and Benjamin Stappers February 3, 2024Researchers have identified an enigmatic cosmic system that might contain an object bridging the gap between neutron stars and black holes, challenging existing astrophysical classifications and deepening our insight into cosmic extremes. Credit: SciTechDaily.comAstronomers discover a celestial object that defies classification, possibly uncovering a new type of cosmic entity at the edge of known physics.Sometimes astronomers come across objects in the…

By U.S. Naval Research Laboratory January 26, 2024The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and the Fermi Large Area Telescope Collaboration have discovered nearly 300 gamma ray pulsars, advancing pulsar research and contributing to gravitational wave studies and navigation applications. The findings also include insights into “spider” pulsars, where a neutron star interacts intensively with its binary companion.The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in conjunction with the international Fermi Large Area Telescope…

An artist’s impression of the system assuming that the massive companion star is a black hole. The brightest background star is its orbital companion, the radio pulsar PSR J0514-4002E. The two stars are separated by 8 million km and circle each other every 7 days. Credit: Daniëlle Futselaar (artsource.nl)Using the MeerKAT Telescope, astronomers found a mysterious object in the Milky Way’s black hole mass gap, challenging existing astronomical classifications and offering a unique opportunity to study the universe’s most…

In yet another proud moment for India, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has powered another amazing mission to a successful conclusion. Dubbed the PSLV-C58 XPoSat Mission, ISRO launched the rocket and got the satellite into place exactly where it was required. While the XPoSat satellite is the most important part of the entire mission, all the hard work involved in boosting it into space in the correct orbit depended on just one thing - the PSLV-C58 rocket system, which has not been just successful, it is…

We have been treated to some amazing aurora displays over recent months. The enigmatic lights are caused by charged particles from the Sun rushing across space and on arrival, causing the gas in the atmosphere to glow.Now researchers believe that even on exoplanets around pulsars we may just find aurora, and they may even be detectable.Pulsars are the remains of super massive stars that have reached the end of their life. During most of a stars life, they synthesise heavier and heavier elements in their core, the outward…

New research explores the possibility that dark matter consists of theoretical particles called axions, focusing on detecting them through additional light from pulsars. Initial observations haven’t confirmed axions yet, but the research is crucial for understanding dark matter. The central question in the ongoing hunt for dark matter is: what is it made of? One possible answer is that dark matter consists of particles known as axions. Recent research by astrophysicists from the universities of Amsterdam and Princeton…

Three extremely rare white lion cubs were born at the Las Delicias Zoo in Venezuela. This week in our wrap up, we lull you into a false sense of security with adorable lion cubs then ambush you with terrifying pulsars. We do this not out of a sense of malice but to prepare your mind for the possibility of a giant cosmic void. Also, Japan has launched a new fusion research facility. …

Astronomers have deciphered the peculiar behavior of a pulsar, PSR J1023+0038, using 12 telescopes, including those from the European Southern Observatory (ESO). This pulsar, which rapidly alternates between two brightness modes, ejects matter in sudden bursts, causing these switches. This breakthrough, involving comprehensive observations and analysis, enhances our understanding of pulsar dynamics and sets the stage for future discoveries with advanced telescopes like ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope. An extensive…

Researchers discovered a universal scaling law in neutron stars, including magnetars, that might explain mysterious Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). By studying the sub-structure of their radio emissions, they found a commonality in their rotation periods, enhancing our understanding of these celestial phenomena.A universal relation for pulsars, magnetars, and potentially fast radio bursts.An international research team led by Michael Kramer and Kuo Liu from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany, have…

Astronomers and astrophysicists at five different pulsar timing array collaborations today announced data that strongly suggests the presence of a gravitational wave background: a constant murmur of low-frequency ripples in spacetime that emanates from some of the universe’s most exotic objects.Are Big Consumer Facing Tech Companies Redeemable? The discovery is an affirmation of previous suggestions from pulsar timing data that a low-frequency signal from the universe’s most gravitationally forceful sources—very possibly…