Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/IUSS/A.De Luca et al; Optical: DSS

Astronomers using Chandra have found evidence for a possible long, X- ray bright tail extending from the pulsar called PSR J0357+3205 (or PSR J0357 for short). The tail seen in the Chandra data (blue) overlaid on optical data (yellow) appears to be stretching over 4 light years away from the pulsar. If this tail is indeed associated with PSR J0357, it is the longest tail ever found with a pulsar of its type. However, there are several puzzling characteristics of this system, which make astronomers eager to obtain further data.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2011/psrj0357/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html