Discovery · 1967 CE
The Discovery of Pulsars
History of Astronomy
Overview
Jocelyn Bell Burnell detected a strikingly regular radio pulse that proved to be a rapidly spinning neutron star sweeping a beam past the Earth.
Why it matters
The first detection of neutron stars, confirming a prediction made three decades earlier.
Credit
Knowledge connections
- Discovered byJocelyn Bell Burnell
- Part ofSpace Age Astronomy
- Related toNeutron Star
- Associated withDiscovery Graph
- Associated withPSR B1919+21
Sources & references
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- BritannicaEncyclopaedia Britannica
General reference for the history of astronomy, biographies, and cultural context.
- 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.