NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has illuminated a hidden field of pulsars, revealing 294 gamma-ray-emitting pulsars with an additional 34 awaiting confirmation
These findings mark a seismic leap, heightening our understanding of these enigmatic cosmic marvels by 27-fold since the mission’s inception in 2008.
What are pulsars?
Pulsars, the stellar remnants born from the fiery extinction of massive stars, are a celestial marvel. Compact and dense, these neutron stars pack more mass than our sun into a sphere wider than a city.
With magnetic fields of huge strength, they emit beams of energy that slice through the cosmos like a cosmic lighthouse.
Providing new data on gamma-ray pulsars
This new unveiling, collected by a global collaboration of 170 scientists, signifies a huge step forward in astrophysical exploration. It offers a comprehensive storage of data on gamma-ray pulsars, creating fresh avenues of inquiry into the mysteries of our universe.
Of the 3,400 known pulsars, the gamma-ray emitting variety constitutes a small fraction, comprising only about 10%. However, their significance is immeasurable. With energies billions of times greater than visible light, gamma rays unveil a universe pulsing with vibrant energy, providing insights into everything from cosmic rays to the kingdoms of dark matter.
A cosmic timekeeper
The gamma-ray brightness of pulsars unveils a contradictory truth: they spin faster as these stellar relics age. Millennia-old pulsars defy conventional wisdom, whirling at fast speeds, their emissions acting as cosmic timekeepers.
Among them, the millisecond pulsar J1231-1411 appears as a ray of hope in the quest for gravitational waves, offering clues to the subtle ripples of space-time that elude conventional detection.
As pulsars use their partners, they experience rejuvenation, spinning faster as they feast on stellar matter. These dynamic duos, classified as black widows or redbacks, unveil the intricate interplay between cosmic forces, weaving a web of gravitational intrigue.
Among the myriad pulsar wonders, transitional pulsars stand as cosmic chameleons, undergoing dramatic transformations as gas flows from companion to neutron star, birthing ephemeral disks of dazzling light before fading into obscurity once more.
Fermi’s vigilant gaze has pierced the veil of distant galaxies in the far reaches of space, unveiling the first gamma-ray pulsar beyond our Milky Way, installed in the ethereal embrace of the Large Magellanic Cloud.
And in a breathtaking display of cosmic fireworks, astronomers witnessed a colossal gamma-ray flare originating from a distant magnetar, installed in the Sculptor galaxy millions of light-years away.
