Yes, we've got a double whammy with the space news today.
Slowest-spinning pulsar discovered
Most pulsars spin really quickly. Like, they can complete one rotation in dozens or maybe even hundreds of times per second. The slowest rotation period previously discovered is 8.5 seconds. That makes this new pulsar positively lazy, to be honest. It takes a lethargic 23.5 seconds to complete one rotation.
What makes the discovery more impressive is the emission only lasts 200 milliseconds. That means the outgoing radio beam isn't directly facing us and could have very easily missed us entirely.
Will this discovery mean anything earth-shattering? Well, probably not, though it was not known pulsars could spin so slowly and still produce radio emissions. So that's kind of cool.
RIP Kepler
I posted something about this a few months ago, and I just thought I'd update with the official time of death. On October 30th, NASA officials announced that Kepler had run out of fuel and its mission was finally at an end. It was a good and productive life for the telescope, and it's given us incredible insight into exoplanets and how common they really are.
Featured Post
Review: Leatherstocking Golf Course (Part 1)
Most people who visit Cooperstown, New York, are going to see the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It is the obvious reason to visit the town...
No comments:
Post a Comment