First Double Pulsar Discovered (2003)

It has long been known that some pulsars exist in systems of two neutron stars orbiting each other, yet a direct observation of both stars in such a system has not existed until now. In late 2003, a team of pulsar astronomers discovered the first double pulsar using the Parkes radio telescope. The binary pulsar allows a number of important measurements to be made, e.g., the masses of the companions were determined to be 1.337+/-0.004 solar masses and 1.251+/-0.004 solar masses - an uncertainty of only 0.3%. Fortunately, the system happens to be seen almost exactly edge-on. This geometry allows a direct observation of the curvature of space-time as light from one pulsar passes near the other one and experiences relativistic effects.

This video simulation shows the two pulsars orbiting around the common center of mass. The faster rotating pulsar spins almost 3000 times a minute while the slower rotating pulsar spins only 22 times a minute. The two pulsars orbit each other once every 2.4 hours.

Credit: John Rowe Animation

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• pulsar
• radio astronomy

[TianLaiZhiYing]

is this a real footage?

[djxatlanta]

@TianLaiZhiYing - no, this is a visualization

[Cutter1018]

"Is this real footage?"  Will someone smack him or her please!!

[ijociou]

@TianLaiZhiYing .... seriously?.....

[moorsalin3]

1.337+/-0.004 solar masses

werd

[Fly2Azeroth]

@MajorLogica what??? that is not what I sed

[MajorLogica]

@dratsab1980 No. x-rays and Gamma rays travel at the same speed all of other kinds of light travels. Radio waves travel just as fast as gamma rays. the difference between them is wavelength and the energy they contain as a result. The accretion disc of a black hole is so densely packed that they emit high frequency Electromagnetic radiation. A black hole's gravity is powerful, but light is only trapped when it crosses the event horizon. The accretion disc is where the x-rays come from.

[MajorLogica]

@Fly2Azeroth Dude. it isn't real footage. it's a computer generate dramatisation. We cannot get a close enough look to see a real pulsar. We know they have the radiation beams form the poles because of mathmeatics and because of the "blinking" effect their light has. Don't be an idiot. Pulsars are highly magnetically active and there are none near by us. We couldn't get near one even if we could travel there.

[TheMustafaSharifi]

Kvs2011 the faster pulsars/neutron stars spin at 500/700 per second and the slower ines spin at 150/425 times per second

[Kvz2011]

Universe sandbox...

[Kvz2011]

Dude they spin 200 times per second!

[Fisto234]

lol fail not real :0

[dratsab1980]

Why do pulsars and black holes emit beams of light? is it because Gamma and Xrays are the only things in the spectrum which can escape thier gravity?

[bmcgann17]

@TianLaiZhiYing You are an absolute moron.