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astronomy

PSR B1931+24

PSR B1931+24 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand PSR B1931+24 rather than just read about it. In short: PSR B1931+24 is a pulsar located 4.64 kiloparsecs from the Earth in the Vulpecula constellation, with a rotational period of 0.8136 seconds and an estimated age of 1.59 million years. It was discovered in 1985 with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Green Bank Telescope, but its intermittent properties were not discovered until 13 years later at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

Key takeaways

  • PSR B1931+24 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect PSR B1931+24 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of PSR B1931+24 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

PSR B1931+24 is a pulsar located 4.64 kiloparsecs from the Earth in the Vulpecula constellation, with a rotational period of 0.8136 seconds and an estimated age of 1.59 million years. It was discovered in 1985 with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Green Bank Telescope, but its intermittent properties were not discovered until 13 years later at Jodrell Bank Observatory. It is the first intermittent radio pulsar ever discovered, regularly emitting pulses for 5-10 days, before stopping for 25-35 days. Its rotation slows down at a 50% greater rate while emitting pulses. In 2025, it was discovered that PSR B1931+24 did not completely cease emissions when not pulsing, but released weak emissions and occasional dwarf pulses. It is one of two pulsars known to stop pulsing for more than a few minutes, with the other being PSR J1841−0500 which stopped pulsing for 580 days.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PSR B1931+24

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PSR B1931+24 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to PSR B1931+24 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about PSR B1931+24 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of PSR B1931+24

In research
PSR B1931+24 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses PSR B1931+24 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
PSR B1931+24 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Millisecond pulsars, Variable star stubs, Vulpecula, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for PSR B1931+24 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study PSR B1931+24 in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what PSR B1931+24 means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain PSR B1931+24 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PSR B1931+24 in simple terms?

PSR B1931+24 is a pulsar located 4.64 kiloparsecs from the Earth in the Vulpecula constellation, with a rotational period of 0.8136 seconds and an estimated age of 1.59 million years. It was discovered in 1985 with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Green Bank Telescope, but its intermitten…

Why does PSR B1931+24 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study PSR B1931+24?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on PSR B1931+24.

Tags

  • Millisecond pulsars
  • Variable star stubs
  • Vulpecula

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