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Neutron star

The Vela Pulsar

Also PSR B0833-45 · PSR J0835-4510

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The Vela Pulsar — Chandra, X-ray; the pulsar and its jet
Chandra, X-ray; the pulsar and its jet. Credit: NASA/CXC/Univ of Toronto/M.Durant et al. Licence: Public domain (NASA). Source

A young spinning neutron star at the heart of the Vela supernova remnant.

Measured

Distance
about 936 light-years (published estimates 880–998)
Constellation
Vela
Position (J2000)
RA 8h 35m 21s, Dec −45.18°

How far, from the Sun

About 936 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light936 years
  • Voyager 1's speed16.6 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h10.1 billion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • It spins about 11 times a second.
  • It is one of the brightest steady sources of gamma rays in the sky.
  • It is known for glitches, sudden small speed-ups in its spin, seen every few years.

Where this comes from

  • Dodson et al. 2003, VLBI parallax (287 +19/−17 pc)

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.