APOD: Dark Pulsar (2008 Oct 21)

[bystander]

Astronomy Picture of the Day
APOD: A Dark Pulsar in CTA 1 (2008 Oct 21)
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081021.html

High Energy Astrophysics Picture of the Week
HEAPOW: New Pulsar (2008 Oct 20)
http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/objec ... fermi.html

Astronomy.com News (2008 Oct 16)
first pure gamma-ray pulsar
http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=7514

NASA Fermi News (2008 Oct 16)
First Gamma-Ray-Only Pulsar
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST ... ulsar.html

[Wadsworth]

Amazing.


It seems strange that normal pulsars release their energy in wavelengths so many times greater than the gamma wavelength. Where is the middle man, and why such a jump?


Too bad we can't make a mini version to power our electron hungry society.

[Wadsworth]

I suppose no one else is interested in this..?

Is this not essentially a new discovery?

I happen to think that we misunderstand some of the basic forces like gravity and electromagnetism, and it will be discoveries like this that will lead to tomorrows breakthroughs in mathematics and technology..

[bystander]

Is this not essentially a new discovery?

Yes, the first pulsar discovered to pulse only in gamma rays. Most pulse at radio wave lengths, some in visible and x-ray. This one was "dark" in the expected wave lengths where they expected the pulsar to be. This new discovery is expected to lead to the finding of many more "gamma ray" pulsars.

[Case]

I would expect the pulsar to be at the center of the SN remnant. Any idea why it is so much off-center?

[starnut]

I would expect the pulsar to be at the center of the SN remnant. Any idea why it is so much off-center?

Supernova explosions can be asymmetrical, often imparting a "kick" that sends the pulsar flying off in one direction. Based on the remnant's age of about 10,000 years and the pulsar's distance from its center, astronomers believe the pulsar is moving at about a million miles per hour.

Gary