PSR J0357+3205

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Chandra X-ray
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PSR J0357+3205: A pulsar (or spinning neutron star) located about 1,600 light years from Earth.
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/IUSS/A.De Luca et al; Optical: DSS)

Caption: 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.

Scale: Image is 18 arcmin across (8.5 light years across)

Chandra X-ray Observatory ACIS Image

CXC operated for NASA by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory