Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Leo |
Right ascension | 09h 46m 7.31s [1] |
Declination | +09° 51′ 57.3″ [1] |
Astrometry | |
Distance | 2,000
ly (630 ± 100 [2] pc) |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | Neutron star |
Variable type | Pulsar |
Details | |
Mass | 1.5 [3] M☉ |
Luminosity | 1.31×10−5 [2] L☉ |
Temperature | 3.1×106 [a] [2] K |
Rotation | 1.1 s [2] |
Age | 5 [b] [2] Myr |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
PSR B0943+10 is a pulsar 2,000 light years from Earth [2] in the direction of the constellation of Leo. [4] It was discovered at Pushchino in December 1968, becoming the first pulsar discovered by Soviet astronomers. [5] [6] The original designation of this pulsar was PP 0943 [1]
The pulsar is estimated to be 5 million years old, which is relatively old for a pulsar. [7] It has a rotational period of 1.1 seconds and emits both radio waves and X-rays. [8] Ongoing research at the University of Vermont discovered that the pulsar was found to flip roughly every few hours between a radio bright mode with highly organized pulsations and a quieter mode with rather chaotic temporal structure. [9] [10]
Moreover, the observations of the pulsar performed simultaneously with the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory and ground-based radio telescopes revealed that it exhibits variations in its X-ray emission that mimic in reverse the changes seen in radio waves – the pulsar has a weaker non-pulsing X-ray luminosity during the radio bright mode and is actually brighter during the radio quiet mode emitting distinct X-ray pulses. [10] Such changes can only be explained if the pulsar's magnetosphere (which may extend up to 52,000 km from the surface) quickly switches between two extreme states. [7] The change happens on a few seconds timescale, far faster than most pulsars. Despite being one of the first pulsars discovered, the mechanism for its unusual behavior is unknown. [9]
In 2006, a research group from Peking University published a paper suggesting that the pulsar may actually be a low-mass quark star with mass around 0.02 M☉. [11]
In May 2014, two gas giants were found orbiting PSR B0943+10. [12] [3] [13]
Companion (in order from star) |
Mass |
Semimajor axis ( AU) |
Orbital period ( days) |
Eccentricity | Inclination | Radius |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
b | 2.8 MJ | 1.8 | 730 | — | — | — |
c | 2.6 MJ | 2.9 | 1,460 | — | — | — |
Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Leo |
Right ascension | 09h 46m 7.31s [1] |
Declination | +09° 51′ 57.3″ [1] |
Astrometry | |
Distance | 2,000
ly (630 ± 100 [2] pc) |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | Neutron star |
Variable type | Pulsar |
Details | |
Mass | 1.5 [3] M☉ |
Luminosity | 1.31×10−5 [2] L☉ |
Temperature | 3.1×106 [a] [2] K |
Rotation | 1.1 s [2] |
Age | 5 [b] [2] Myr |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
PSR B0943+10 is a pulsar 2,000 light years from Earth [2] in the direction of the constellation of Leo. [4] It was discovered at Pushchino in December 1968, becoming the first pulsar discovered by Soviet astronomers. [5] [6] The original designation of this pulsar was PP 0943 [1]
The pulsar is estimated to be 5 million years old, which is relatively old for a pulsar. [7] It has a rotational period of 1.1 seconds and emits both radio waves and X-rays. [8] Ongoing research at the University of Vermont discovered that the pulsar was found to flip roughly every few hours between a radio bright mode with highly organized pulsations and a quieter mode with rather chaotic temporal structure. [9] [10]
Moreover, the observations of the pulsar performed simultaneously with the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory and ground-based radio telescopes revealed that it exhibits variations in its X-ray emission that mimic in reverse the changes seen in radio waves – the pulsar has a weaker non-pulsing X-ray luminosity during the radio bright mode and is actually brighter during the radio quiet mode emitting distinct X-ray pulses. [10] Such changes can only be explained if the pulsar's magnetosphere (which may extend up to 52,000 km from the surface) quickly switches between two extreme states. [7] The change happens on a few seconds timescale, far faster than most pulsars. Despite being one of the first pulsars discovered, the mechanism for its unusual behavior is unknown. [9]
In 2006, a research group from Peking University published a paper suggesting that the pulsar may actually be a low-mass quark star with mass around 0.02 M☉. [11]
In May 2014, two gas giants were found orbiting PSR B0943+10. [12] [3] [13]
Companion (in order from star) |
Mass |
Semimajor axis ( AU) |
Orbital period ( days) |
Eccentricity | Inclination | Radius |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
b | 2.8 MJ | 1.8 | 730 | — | — | — |
c | 2.6 MJ | 2.9 | 1,460 | — | — | — |