Millisecond pulsars

Millisecond pulsars are a type of neutron star that spin incredibly fast, completing hundreds of rotations each second. They are formed from the remnants of massive stars that have exploded and then accreted material from a companion star, gaining angular momentum. This process "reaccelerates" the neutron star, making its rotation period extremely short—on the order of a few milliseconds. Millisecond pulsars emit regular beams of radio waves that sweep across Earth like lighthouse beams, allowing us to detect their precise timing. Their extreme stability makes them valuable tools for studying gravity, detecting gravitational waves, and exploring the cosmos.