1Pulsars

=PULSARS = = = Pulsars belong in a category of space objects along with black holes and other abnormalities. Pulsars are neutron stars that emit beams of radiation that sweep through the Earth's line of sight.



**Quick Facts **

 * Pulsars are actually a type of neutron star.
 * Pulsars were discovered by Jocelyn Burner Bell but her teacher was given credit for the discovery.
 * The first 2 binary pulsars were discovered by Russel A. Holse and Joseph H. Taylor.
 * A bursting pulsar was found in 1995 by Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.
 * Pulsars produce synchrotron radiation (Radiation in which charged particles are accelerated in a curved path).
 * There are now more than 1500 known pulsars.
 * A pulsar's magnetic field is one trillion times stronger than Earth's.
 * Pulsars can spin several thousand times per second.




 A pulsar is born from an exploding star that creates a very small star (only 20-30km across) that is rapidly spinning. The star has very strong magnetic fields around it and emits radiation much like a lighthouse beacon, as shown above. The axis of the magnetic field is not aligned with the axis of rotation. The incredibly powerful magnetic fields have the potential to produce as much as one trillion volts of energy. New scientific research shows that debris can collect around a pulsar and can even form a planet eventually. Below is a depiction of said event. 

Gamma-ray Pulsars
In a pulsar's magnetospheres, particles are accelerated to incredible energies and gamma rays are produced as a result. Only seven gamma-ray emitting pulsars have been found so far. Gamma-ray emitting pulsars tend to be small and be spinning very rapidly, and they lose their ability to produce gamma rays as they slow down.



X-ray Pulsars
X-ray pulsars can be formed when high energy electrons in the magnetic field regions interact. Shortly after a supernova, a neutron star's surface temperature can be as high as one billion degrees. The star can be seen with an x-ray telescope when the surface is this hot. Pulses of x-rays can be seen coming from the pulsar as the hot spots pass in our line of sight. When a neutron star is in a binary system with another star, the neutron star can begin absorbing material from the other star. The material being absorbed will swirl around the neutron star and superheat to the point of producing x-rays.

Web Links
[|www.imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov] [|www.encyclopedia.com]

**Bibliography **
"pulsar." __The Columbia Encyclopedia__. 6th ed. 2008. Fradrin, Dennis. "With a Little Luck". New York, Dutton Children's Books 2006. "Pulsars." __NASA Goddard Space Flight Center__. Dec 2006. 12 Mar 2009. .