pulsar astrophysics

Pulsar astrophysics studies highly magnetized, rotating neutron stars that emit beams of electromagnetic radiation from their magnetic poles. As these beams sweep across Earth like cosmic lighthouse beams, they produce regular pulses detectable by telescopes. Pulsars originate from massive stars that have exhausted their fuel and exploded as supernovae, compressing their core into an incredibly dense object. Their rapid rotation and strong magnetic fields generate precise, lighthouse-like signals, making pulsars useful for studying extreme physics, detecting gravitational waves, and probing the universe’s properties.