astronomy

PSR J1748−2446ad

PSR J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad rather than just read about it. In short: PSR J1748−2446ad is the fastest-spinning pulsar known, at 716.35 Hz (times per second), or 42,981 revolutions per minute (1.3959 milliseconds). This pulsar was discovered by Jason W.

Key takeaways

PSR J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of PSR J1748−2446ad from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

PSR J1748−2446ad is the fastest-spinning pulsar known, at 716.35 Hz (times per second), or 42,981 revolutions per minute (1.3959 milliseconds). This pulsar was discovered by Jason W. T. Hessels of McGill University on November 10, 2004, and confirmed on January 8, 2005. If the neutron star is assumed to contain less than two times the mass of the Sun, within the typical range of neutron stars, its radius is constrained to be less than 16 km. At its equator it is spinning at approximately 24% of the speed of light, or over 70,000 km per second. The pulsar is located in a globular cluster of stars called Terzan 5, located approximately 18,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius. It is part of a binary system and undergoes regular eclipses with an eclipse magnitude of about 40%. Its orbit is highly circular, with a 26-hour period. The other object in the system is at least 0.14 solar masses, with a radius of 5–6 solar radii. Hessels and collaborators state that the companion may be a "bloated main-sequence star, possibly still filling its Roche Lobe". Hessels and collaborators go on to speculate that gravitational radiation from the pulsar might be detectable by LIGO.

See also PSR J0901–4046 longest period pulsar known PSR J0952–0607 second-fastest-spinning pulsar known NGC 6624, a globular cluster containing a neutron star spinning at possibly the same velocity.

References

External links XTE J1739−285, Integral points to the fastest spinning neutron star Evolution of millisecond pulsars

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PSR J1748−2446ad

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PSR J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad

In research: PSR J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 2004, Millisecond pulsars, Sagittarius (constellation), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for PSR J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what PSR J1748−2446ad means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain PSR J1748−2446ad out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PSR J1748−2446ad in simple terms?

PSR J1748−2446ad is the fastest-spinning pulsar known, at 716.35 Hz (times per second), or 42,981 revolutions per minute (1.3959 milliseconds). This pulsar was discovered by Jason W.

Why does PSR J1748−2446ad 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 J1748−2446ad?

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 J1748−2446ad.