They observed 2 intense regions of radiation on this rapidly spinning pulsar some 6,500 light-years away. “Like seeing a flea on the surface of Pluto,” they said.
This composite X-ray (red/white) and optical (green/blue) image reveals an elongated cloud, or cocoon, of high-energy particles flowing behind the rapidly rotating Black Widow pulsar (the white point-like source). The pulsar is also moving through the galaxy at a high speed which creates an outer bow shock wave visible to optical telescopes. The pressure behind this outer shock wave creates a second shock wave that sweeps the cloud of high-energy particles back from the pulsar to form the cocoon. The Black Widow pulsar is emitting intense high-energy radiation that appears to be destroying a companion star through evaporation. It is one of a class of extremely rapidly rotating, very old neutron stars called millisecond pulsars. Image via Chandra.
EarthSky
Updates on your cosmos and world
