Astronomers Here Discover Bursting Pulsars
May 23, 1996
Scientists at Marshall have recently
discovered a totally new kind of object in deep space. This bizarre object
emits huge bursts of gamma-ray energy and pulsates sharply in brightness.
Dr. John Horack stated that "...these behaviors have been observed
separately in a wide range of objects, however they have never been seen
before coming from the same object." Dubbed theBursting Pulsar,
the object appears to be located near the center of our Milky Way Galaxy,
and is the only known object to possess both of these types of gamma-ray
emissions.
Marshall Scientists, using the Burst
and Transient Source Experiment, currently in orbit aboard NASA's Compton Gamma
Ray Observatory, made their discovery in December, after analysis of
a routine sky sweep.
For more information, please contact
Dr. Jerry Fishman
Code ES84
NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville AL 35812
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Curator: Bryan Walls
NASA Official: John M. Horack