A weird star is whizzing through our galaxy at an unimaginable speed. Astronomers discovered PSR J0002+6216, a lone runner speeding across our galaxy at 2.5 million miles per hour, nearly four million kilometers per hour, or 700 miles per second (1,127 kilometers per second).
PSR J0002+6216 travels at a speed of 1,127 kilometers per second, which implies it could reach its destination in less than 6 minutes if it were going from Earth to the moon.
The star was spotted as it flew away from the expanding cloud left by a recent supernova explosion. After punching through the explosion’s outer layer of material, it leaves behind a vast cosmic trail as it travels across the galaxy.
According to astronomers, the tail extends around 13 light-years and is seen pointing back to the supernova center.
PSR J0002+6216 is a type of neutron star known as a pulsar. A pulsar is a neutron star that rotates and emits an electromagnetic radiation beam. Because of their mind-bogglingly fast spin rates, these stars emit jets of electromagnetic radiation as they spin. This pulsar rotates at a rate of 8.7 revolutions per second. We see the star’s jets of electromagnetic radiation as a kind of cosmic lighthouse if they align with Earth as it spins on its axis through space.
According to Frank Schinzel, a scientist at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), “we can trace this pulsar straight back to its birthplace thanks to its narrow dart-like tail and a fortuitous viewing angle.” More research into this object will help us understand how these explosions can ‘kick‘ neutron stars to such high speeds.”
PSR J0002+6216 is located approximately 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cassiopeia.
The pulsar is approximately a light-year away from the core of a supernova remnant known as CTB 1. PSR J0002+6216 was discovered to be travelling across the galaxy at five times the normal pulsar speed.
Astronomers estimate that PSR J0002+6216 is faster than 99 percent of all known Pulsars. The research paper can be found here.
