The Slowest Spinning X-Ray Pulsar in a Globular Star Cluster (IMAGE)

Lomonosov Moscow State University

The Slowest Spinning X-Ray Pulsar in a Globular Star Cluster

Caption

The slowest spinning X-ray pulsar in a globular star cluster has been discovered in the Andromeda galaxy. This object is a small and very dense neutron star pulling gas from a companion star. Infalling gas forms a bright hot spot on the neutron star surface, which creates a light-house effect, because the neutron star revolves every 1.2 seconds.

Credit

Artwork by A. Zolotov

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Artwork by A. Zolotov

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