An odd and peculiar celestial object has been observed to blaze through the Milky Way at an unimaginable speed. The Space Academy reports that the celestial object was identified as the star PSR J0002+6216, which moves through the galaxy at 4 million kilometers per hour, which is equivalent to 2.5 million miles per hour or 700 miles per second.
PSR J0002+6216 Star
With its speed of 1,127 kilometers per second, the star is capable of traveling from the earth to the moon in more or less six minutes! Science Alert reports how such remarkable speed makes it one of the fastest stars observed.
The star was observed to move away from a cloud that was expanding and that was left behind by a supernova blast. After it broke through the explosion's external layers, the star left a cosmic trail behind.
Specialists think that the tail of the star stretches up to 13 light years. It also points toward the supernova's core.
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Mysteries of the Galaxy: Pulsars
The star PSR J0002+6216 is considered a pulsar. Live Science reports that pulsars are among the most dramatic phenomena within the universe or galaxy. These pulsars are neutron stars, the cores of giant stars that have broken, that spin and turn around. As they spin around, the neutron stars emit electromagnetic radiation beams that can be picked up when these signals face toward earth. Because of this, the stars' signals look like they are pulsing, which is why such kinds of stars were termed pulsars.
This specific pulsar spins around 8.7 times each second. If the electromagnetic radiation jet aligns with earth as the star spins within its space axis, the sight could mirror a celestial lighthouse.
National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) scientist Frank Schinzel expresses that due to its dart-like and thin tail, as well as the viewing angle by which it can be seen, the specific pulsar can be traced back to its birth and origins. He notes that digging deeper into this celestial object can help specialists learn more about how blasts lead to the speedy movement of neutron stars.
PSR J0002+6216 Is Five Times Faster Than Other Pulsars
The PSR J0002+6216 is located 6,500 light years away from earth. It also belongs to the Cassiopeia constellation.
The Space Academy notes how researchers think that this pulsar is around a light year away from the CTB 1 core. The CTB 1 is a remnant of a supernova blast. Moreover, it was also discovered that PSR J0002+6216 blazes through the galaxy five times faster than the majority of pulsars. In fact, this pulsar is faster than 99% of the pulsars with measured speeds.
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