EMBARGOED For Release: 2:00 p.m. EDT, Thursday, May 21, 2009

Contact:

Dave Finley, Public Information Officer
Socorro, NM
(575) 835-7302
dfinley@nrao.edu

Graphics: "Missing Link" Revealing Fast-Spinning Pulsar Mysteries

Material from distended "normal" star. right, streams onto
accretion disk (white and blue) surrounding neutron star, left.
CREDIT: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF

Click on image for full-sized version.

Animation of orbits of neutron star with accretion disk and "normal" companion star during mass-transfer phase.

Animation of J1023 binary system showing period of mass transfer from companion star to the neutron star, then cessation of mass transfer and turn-on of radio pulsar.

ANIMATION CREDIT: Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF

Modified on Tuesday, 19-May-2009 18:29:23 EDT