#geminga

(NASA)  Chandra Images Show That Geometry Solves a Pulsar Puzzle

Image credit: Geminga image: NASA/CXC/PSU/B. Posselt et al; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech; B0355+54: X-ray: NASA/CXC/GWU/N. Klingler et al; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Illustrations: Nahks TrEhnl

NASA'S Chandra X-ray Observatory has taken deep exposures of two nearby energetic pulsars flying through the Milky Way galaxy. The shape of their X-ray emission suggests there is a geometrical explanation for puzzling differences in behavior shown by some pulsars.

Pulsars − rapidly rotating, highly magnetized, neutron stars born in supernova explosions triggered by the collapse of massive stars − were discovered 50 years ago via their pulsed, highly regular, radio emission.  Pulsars produce a lighthouse-like beam of radiation that astronomers detect as pulses as the pulsar's rotation sweeps the beam across the sky.

Since their discovery, thousands of pulsars have been discovered, many of which produce beams of radio waves and gamma rays. Some pulsars show only radio pulses and others show only gamma-ray pulses. Chandra observations have revealed steadier X-ray emission from extensive clouds of high-energy particles, called pulsar wind nebulas, associated with both types of pulsars. New Chandra data on pulsar wind nebulas may explain the presence or absence of radio and gamma-ray pulses.

This four-panel graphic shows the two pulsars observed by Chandra. Geminga is in the upper left and B0355+54 is in the upper right. In both of these images, Chandra’s X-rays, colored blue and purple, are combined with infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope that shows stars in the field of view. Below each data image, an artist’s illustration depicts more details of what astronomers think the structure of each pulsar wind nebula looks like.

(NASA)  Chandra Images Show That Geometry Solves a Pulsar Puzzle

NASA'S Chandra X-ray Observatory has taken deep exposures of two nearby energetic pulsars flying through the Milky Way galaxy. The shape of their X-ray emission suggests there is a geometrical explanation for puzzling differences in behavior shown by some pulsars.

Pulsars − rapidly rotating, highly magnetized, neutron stars born in supernova explosions triggered by the collapse of massive stars − were discovered 50 years ago via their pulsed, highly regular, radio emission.  Pulsars produce a lighthouse-like beam of radiation that astronomers detect as pulses as the pulsar's rotation sweeps the beam across the sky.

(...) This four-panel graphic shows the two pulsars observed by Chandra. Geminga is in the upper left and B0355+54 is in the upper right. In both of these images, Chandra’s X-rays, colored blue and purple, are combined with infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope that shows stars in the field of view. Below ach data image, an artist’s illustration depicts more details of what astronomers think the structure of each pulsar wind nebula looks like.

La pulsar Geminga risolve un mistero nel nostro giardino cosmico?

Rappresentazione artistica delle tre code di Geminga .

Una nuova ricerca degli scienziati della NASA suggerisce che Geminga, una delle più brillanti pulsar situate a circa 800 anni luce di distanza nella costellazione Gemelli, scoperta nel 1972 dalla NASA, potrebbe essere responsabile di un enigma decennale sul perché un tipo di particella cosmica sia stranamente abbondante vicino alla…

De HAWC detector in Mexico. Credit: Jordan A Goodman

We blijven even in de sferen van donkere materie, na m’n eerdere blog vanochtendover het verband tussen donkere materie en het verdwijnen van de dinosurussen 65 miljoen jaar geleden. Al sinds de waarnemingen met de Italiaans-Russische PAMELA satelliet wordt er gespeculeerd over het waargenomen overschot aan positronen in de kosmische straling,…

Geminga culla di pianeti

Un team di astronomi britannici ha studiato la formazione di esopianeti intorno a una stella di neutroni, resto di una supernova. Le immagini della pulsar Geminga mostrano come la stella di neutroni catturi nuovo materiale dalla nube interstellare, per la genesi di nuovi mondi. Dai resti di un’esplosione di supernova possono nascere nuovi pianeti. Lo afferma un team di scienziati britannici…