Fast-Spinning Pulsar Emits Super-Bright Gamma Rays

A rapidly spinning stellar corpse known as a pulsar powers one of the most luminous sourcesof high-energy gamma rays in the Milky Way galaxy, a new study reports.

The gamma-ray source had already been connected to a supernova remnant — what’s left behind after the explosive death of a massive star — and previous studies hinted that a pulsar could be driving the strong energy scientists had observed. But thick gas clouds in space had kept scientists from conclusively identifying the source until NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array spacecraft (NuSTAR) scoped out the area with its X-ray eyes.

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CrazyNeutrino said:

Fast-Spinning Pulsar Emits Super-Bright Gamma Rays

A rapidly spinning stellar corpse known as a pulsar powers one of the most luminous sourcesof high-energy gamma rays in the Milky Way galaxy, a new study reports.

The gamma-ray source had already been connected to a supernova remnant — what’s left behind after the explosive death of a massive star — and previous studies hinted that a pulsar could be driving the strong energy scientists had observed. But thick gas clouds in space had kept scientists from conclusively identifying the source until NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array spacecraft (NuSTAR) scoped out the area with its X-ray eyes.

more…

Chalk up a first major success for the NuSTAR space telescope.