Asteroid Swarm ‘Pounded’ Pulsar Star, Causing Changes Visible From Earth

(Before It's News)

Artist’s impression of an asteroid breaking up. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

When you throw a bunch of rock and debris at a rapidly spinning star, what happens? A new study suggests that so-called pulsar stars change their dizzying spin rate as asteroids fall into the gaseous mass. This conclusion comes from observations of one pulsar (PSR J0738-4042) that is being “pounded” with debris from rocks, researchers said.

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© Elizabeth Howell for Universe Today, 2014. |
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Post tags: Neutron Star, PSR J0738-4042, pulsar star

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