PSR J1748-2446ad
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 |
|
|---|---|
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Right ascension | 17h 48m |
| Declination | −24° 48′ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.28 |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | Pulsar |
| U−B color index | ? |
| B−V color index | ? |
| Variable type | None |
| Astrometry | |
| Distance | 18.000 Ly [1] |
| Details | |
| Mass | ? M☉ |
| Radius | <16 km R☉/ R☉ |
| Luminosity | ? L☉ |
| Temperature | ? K |
| Metallicity | ? |
| Rotation | 0.00139595482(6) s |
| Age | ? years |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
PSR J1748-2446ad is the fastest-spinning pulsar known, at 716 Hz (period being 0.00139595482(6) seconds).
This pulsar was discovered by Jason W. T. Hessels of McGill University on November 10, 2004 and confirmed on January 8, 2005.
It has been calculated that the neutron star contains slightly less than two times the mass of the Sun, which is approximately the same for all neutron stars. Its radius is constrained to be less than 16 km. At its equator it is spinning at approximately 24% of the speed of light, or over 70,000 km per second.
The pulsar is located in a globular cluster of stars called Terzan 5, located approximately 18,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius. It is part of a binary system and undergoes regular eclipses with an eclipse fraction of about 40%. Its orbit is highly circular with a 26 hour period. The other object is about 0.14 solar masses, with a radius of 5–6 solar radii. Hessels states that the companion may be a "bloated main-sequence star, possibly still filling its Roche Lobe".
Hessels goes on to speculate that gravitational radiation from the pulsar might be detectable by LIGO.
[edit] References
- ^ Ortolani, S.; Barbuy, B.; Bica, E.; Zoccali, M.; Renzini, A. (2007). "Distances of the bulge globular clusters Terzan 5, Liller 1, UKS 1, and Terzan 4 based on HST NICMOS photometry". Astronomy and Astrophysics 470 (3): 1043–1049. Bibcode 2007A&A...470.1043O. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20066628. arXiv:0705.4030
- Hessels, J. W.; Ransom, S. M.; Stairs, I. H.; Freire, P. C.; Kaspi, V. M.; Camilo, F. (Mar 2006). "A radio pulsar spinning at 716 Hz". Science 311 (5769): 1901–4. arXiv:astro-ph/0601337. Bibcode 2006Sci...311.1901H. doi:10.1126/science.1123430. PMID 16410486.
- XTE J1739-285, Integral points to the fastest spinning neutron star, http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=21909
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