astronomy

SWIFT J1756.9−2508

SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508 rather than just read about it. In short: SWIFT J1756.9−2508 is a millisecond pulsar with a rotation frequency of 182 Hz (period of 5.4945 milliseconds). It was discovered in 2007 by the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer and found to have a companion with a mass between 0.0067 and 0.030 solar masses.

Key takeaways

SWIFT J1756.9−2508 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect SWIFT J1756.9−2508 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of SWIFT J1756.9−2508 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

SWIFT J1756.9−2508 is a millisecond pulsar with a rotation frequency of 182 Hz (period of 5.4945 milliseconds). It was discovered in 2007 by the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer and found to have a companion with a mass between 0.0067 and 0.030 solar masses. It is thought that the companion is the remnant of a former companion star, now stripped down to a planetary-mass core. The pulsar is accreting mass from this companion, resulting in occasional violent outbursts from the accumulated material on the neutron star.

Planetary system SWIFT J1756.9-2508's only known planet is notable for its orbital period of less than an hour, about 54 minutes and 43 seconds.

References

Krimm, H. A.; Markwardt, C. B.; Deloye, C. J.; Romano, P.; et al. (October 2007). "Discovery of the accretion-powered millisecond pulsar SWIFT J1756.9-2508 with a low-mass companion". Astrophysical Journal Letters. 668 (2): L147–L150. arXiv:0709.1693. Bibcode:2007ApJ...668L.147K. doi:10.1086/522959. S2CID 120700539. Krimm, H. A.; Markwardt, C. B.; Deloye, C. J.; Romano, P.; et al. (October 2009). "ERRATUM: Discovery of the accretion-powered millisecond pulsar SWIFT J1756.9-2508 with a low-mass companion". Astrophysical Journal Letters. 703 (2): L183. arXiv:0709.1693. Bibcode:2009ApJ...703L.183K. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/703/2/L183. S2CID 54031388.

External links Universe Today, Pulsar Has Almost Completely Devoured a Star SIMBAD, "SWIFT J1756.9-2508" (accessed 2010-11-06)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SWIFT J1756.9−2508

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508

In research: SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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: SWIFT J1756.9−2508 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Accreting millisecond pulsars, Astronomical objects discovered in 2007, Compact object stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is SWIFT J1756.9−2508 in simple terms?

Why does SWIFT J1756.9−2508 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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508?

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 SWIFT J1756.9−2508.