Vela Pulsar
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 |
|
|---|---|
| Constellation | Vela |
| Right ascension | 08h 35m 20.65525s |
| Declination | -45° 10′ 35.1545″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 23.6 |
| Astrometry | |
| Distance | 959 (-163,+248) ly (294 (-50,+76)[2] pc) |
| Other designations | |
The Vela Pulsar (PSR B0833-45 or PSR J0835-4510) is a radio, optical, X-ray and gamma-emitting pulsar associated with Vela Supernova Remnant, in the constellation of Vela.
Contents |
[edit] Supernova origins
The association of the Vela pulsar with the Vela Supernova Remnant, made by astronomers at the University of Sydney in 1968,[1] was direct observational proof that supernovae form neutron stars.
[edit] Characteristics
It has a period of 89 ms (the shortest known at the time of its discovery) and the remnant from the supernova explosion is estimated to be travelling at 1,200 km/s.[3] It has the third brightest optical component of all known pulsars (V = 23.6 mag)[4] which pulses twice for every single radio pulse. The Vela pulsar is the brightest persistent object in the high energy gamma ray sky.
[edit] Vela X confusion
Note that this object has often been called Vela X, for reasons that appear historically unclear. Because of the possible confusion with Vela X-1 (= 4U 0900-40), a very different kind of object that happens to lie nearby, referring to it as either "Vel X" or "Vela X" seems inadvisable.
[edit] A planetary companion?
In early 1970, Curtis proposed the presence of a planetary companion to explain certain variations observed in the pulsar's timing.[5] The putative object would have a mass of about 0.01 Solar masses (i.e., 10 times the mass of Jupiter) and orbit the parent star at a distance of 0.3 Astronomical Units. Given the age of the article in question, it's likely this claim will turn out to be spurious; at any rate, it is as yet uncomfirmed.
| Companion (in order from star) |
Mass | Semimajor axis (AU) |
Orbital period (days) |
Eccentricity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b (unconfirmed) | ≥10 MJ | 0.3 | ? | ? |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ SIMBAD
- ^ Caraveo, P.A. et al., Astrophys. J., 561, 930-937 (2001)
- ^ Lyne, Andrew G.; Francis Graham-Smith (1998). Pulsar Astronomy. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-59413-8.
- ^ Mignani et al.; Zharikov, S.; Caraveo, P. A. (2007-10-01). "The optical spectrum of the Vela Pulsar". Astronomy & Astrophysics 473 (3): 891. Bibcode 2007A&A...473..891M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20077774.
- ^ Curtis (1970). "Pulsar Planetary Systems". The Astrophysical Journal Letters 159: 25–28. arXiv:astro-ph/0611729. Bibcode 1970ApJ...159L..25M. doi:10.1086/180471.
[edit] External links
- Glitch noted http://www.hartrao.ac.za/news/040707vela/index.html
- Chandra image http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2000/vela/index.html
- Chandra images show pronounced jet http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/vela_pulsar/index.html
