NASA’s Chandra and IXPE Study Pulsar in Lighthouse Nebula

Scientists have used NASA's IXPE X-ray observatory to directly measure the magnetic fields of a pulsar for the first time—a milestone achieved by studying PSR J1101-6101, a rapidly spinning neutron star in the Lighthouse Nebula. NASA reports that pulsars rank among the cosmos' most extreme objects, and this first direct measurement offers new insight into their magnetic structure and behavior. The findings, published in the Astrophysical Journal, drew on data from multiple telescopes including Chandra X-rays, IXPE observations, and radio emissions from Australia's Compact Telescope Array.

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