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Vela Pulsar

Pulsar · Multi-spectrum pulsar in the constellation Vela

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Vela Pulsar
Picture: NASA/CXC/PSU/G.Pavlov et al., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

About the Vela Pulsar

The Vela Pulsar is about 913 light-years from the Sun, so the light we see from it left about 913 years ago.

It is 27,114 light-years from the centre of the Milky Way.

The map lists it as a pulsar and shows it among the stars around the Sun, drawn on the plane of the Milky Way.

Key numbers

Distance913 light-years (280 pc)
Distance from the Galactic centre27,114 light-years
Galactic coordinatesl = 263.55°, b = -2.79°
Spin period89.3 ms
Distance methodindependent (parallax or association)

Data: ATNF Pulsar Catalogue v2.9.0.

Where it is

Its place in the universe, from the inside out: Orion–Cygnus Arm (Local Arm) › Milky Way › Local Group › Virgo Supercluster › Laniakea Supercluster › Observable universe.

Zoom out to see it in context: 1,000 light-years, a view about 2,400 light-years across.

From Wikipedia

The Vela Pulsar is a radio, optical, X-ray- and gamma-emitting pulsar associated with the Vela supernova remnant in the constellation of Vela. Its parent Type II supernova exploded approximately 11,000–12,300 years ago.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Vela Pulsar, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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