We are about to find out!
Although everything seems to be about Pluto right now, there are quite a few other very exciting things going on in the universe.
This is one of those examples. And it caught me a bit by surprise when NASA announced the Fermi Telescope not only discovered a new Pulsar, but that it was about make one of it’s few, 25 year orbital closest approaches to it’s companion star.
But this is no typical star – it is Much larger than our Sun and as noted below, “fireworks” are certainly expected … at least in the gamma ray spectrum.
I included the YouTube version below, but you can also watch it on http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=11895
Either way, it’s a definite video to watch … (and worthy of a calender note for Spring of 2018 as well)
Astronomers are gearing up for high-energy fireworks coming in early 2018, when a stellar remnant the size of a city meets one of the brightest stars in our galaxy. The cosmic light show will occur when a pulsar discovered by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope swings by its companion star. Scientists plan a global campaign to watch the event from radio wavelengths to the highest-energy gamma rays detectable.
…… Following an elongated orbit lasting about 25 years, the pulsar passes closest to its partner once each circuit. Whipping around its companion in early 2018, the pulsar will plunge through the surrounding disk and trigger astrophysical fireworks. It will serve as a probe to help astronomers measure the massive star’s gravity, magnetic field, stellar wind and disk properties.Read more at: http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/a…
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