PSR B1509−58

PSR B1509−58

Composite image: X-rays are gold; infrared in red, green and blue/max.
Credit: Chandra X-ray Observatory, WISE
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Circinus
Right ascension 15h 13m 55.52s[1]
Declination −59° 08′ 08.8″[1]
Characteristics
Spectral type Pulsar
Astrometry
Distance17,000 ly
(5,200 ±1,400 pc)
Details
Rotation0.1502 s[1]
Other designations
PSR 1509-58[1]
Database references
SIMBADdata

PSR B1509−58 is a pulsar approximately at a distance of 17,000 light-years in the constellation of Circinus discovered by the Einstein X-Ray Observatory in 1982.[2] Its diameter is only 12 miles (19 km). It is located in a Pulsar wind nebula created by itself, that was caused as a remnant of the Supernova (SNR) MSH 15−52 visual approximately 1,700 years ago at the southern celestial hemisphere not visible in the northern hemisphere.[3][4] The nebula spans about 150 light years.[5] The 150 ms pulsations ("almost 7 times per second") are detected in the radio, X-ray, and γ-ray bands.[6]

NASA described the star as "a rapidly spinning neutron star which is spewing energy out into the space around it to create complex and intriguing structures, including one that resembles a large cosmic hand".[7] It is also known by the name "Hand of God".[8] This phenomenon is called pareidolia.

False-color image, nicknamed "Hand of God", from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO), showing low-energy X-rays in red, medium-energy in green, and high-energy in blue. The pulsar (white in the center) also causes the red glowing in the neighboring Hot Plasma Nebula RCW 89 above.[9][10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Caraveo, P. A.; Mereghetti, S.; Bignami, G. F. (1994). "An Optical Counterpart for PSR 1509-58". The Astrophysical Journal. 423: L125. Bibcode:1994ApJ...423L.125C. doi:10.1086/187252.
  2. ↑ Seward, F. D.; Harnden, F. R. Jr. (May 1982). "A new, fast X-ray pulsar in the supernova remnant MSH 15-52". The Astrophysical Journal. 256: L45. Bibcode:1982ApJ...256L..45S. doi:10.1086/183793.
  3. ↑ "How Old Is It?". Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. 2009-04-03. Archived from the original on 2014-01-10. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
  4. ↑ Oxford Academic: Modelling spectral evolution of pulsar wind nebulae inside supernova remnants | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | Oxford Academic, access-date 13. November 2024
  5. ↑ "PSR B1509-58: A Young Pulsar Shows its Hand". Harvard. 2009-04-03.
  6. ↑ Romani, Roger W, American Astronomical Society, et al. (1 November 2023). "The Polarized Cosmic Hand: IXPE Observations of PSR B1509-58/MSH 15-52". The Astrophysical Journal. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/acfa02.
  7. ↑ "A Young Pulsar Shows Its Hand". NASA. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  8. ↑ "NASA photos show giant cosmic hand". CNN. 2009-04-14.
  9. ↑ Manuel Peitsch. "RCW 89". Manuel's Astrophotography. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  10. ↑ Chandra (September 2005). "Chandra Observation of the Interaction between the Hot Plasma Nebula RCW 89 and the Pulsar Jet of PSR B1509-58". The SAO Astrophysics Data System. Retrieved 16 February 2025.

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