Pulsar class
X-ray Pulsar
A neutron star in a binary system that pulls gas from its companion; the gas is funnelled by the star's magnetic field onto its poles, where it heats up and shines in pulsed X-rays as the star rotates. X-ray pulsars are how many neutron stars are weighed, and how millisecond pulsars are recycled.
Highlights
- ›Accretion-powered pulses from a neutron-star binary
Classes, physics & objects
Across compact objects
Knowledge connections
- Associated withMillisecond Pulsar
- Associated withNeutron Star
- Associated withPulsar
- Associated withMillisecond Pulsar
- Associated withAccretion Disk
- Associated withRotation-Powered Pulsar
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.