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Chapter 4.3 Pulsar "On", Pulsar "Off"

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Judging from the powerful magnetic field of the pulsar left behind in the Crab Nebula, the explosion resulted in the formation of a neutron star. During the past three decades, astronomers have pinpointed over 300 pulsars scattered across the heavens. Spinning rapidly at first, the pulsars eventually rotate more slowly, perhaps because part of their rotational energy gets converted into gravitational radiation.

The Crab Nebula

Another supernova, observed by Chinese astronomers in 1054, left behind this nebula. It surrounds a neutron star whose radio emissions pulsate 30 times per second. Both the shock waves and the accompanying implosions from this event might have spawned a very short pulse of gravitational waves that might be detectable here on Earth.

A rotating pulsar emits powerful beams of radiowaves. As the pulsar rotates, the beams are observed to fluctuate between an "on" and "off" position. These fluctuations may be so accurate that the pulsar can be used to measure time with pinpoint accuracy.

Pulsar's may also emit X rays. Here's an X-ray view of the pulsar in the Crab Nebula in its "on" and "off" states.