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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Photo: Pulsar in Crab Nebula Has Four Poles, Astronomers Suggest


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An image from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory shows the pulsar at the center of the Crab Nebula emitting jets of high-energy particles.

New research suggests that the pulsar has more than two magnetic poles, making it the first such object of its kind to be found in space.

Image courtesy NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA-MSFC)