Neutron star · ~33 ms period
The Crab Pulsar
The young neutron star at the heart of the Crab Nebula, formed in the supernova recorded by observers in 1054. It spins about thirty times a second and is the archetypal rotation-powered pulsar, its wind lighting up the surrounding nebula across the spectrum, from radio to gamma rays.
Highlights
- ›Born in the supernova of 1054; ~30 spins per second
Classes, physics & objects
Across compact objects
Knowledge connections
- Associated withThe Pulsar Mechanism
- Associated withPulsar
- Associated withRotation-Powered Pulsar
- Associated withPulsar
- Associated withRotation-Powered Pulsar
- Associated withNeutron Star
- Associated withCrab Nebula
- Associated withThe Pulsar Mechanism
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.