Chinese telescope “FAST” detects more than 660 new pulsars

by time news

Guiyang, July 24, 2022 (Xinhua) Using the Chinese radio telescope “Fast”, or “China’s Eye of the Sky”, which has a diameter of 500 meters, scientists have identified more than 660 new pulsars.

Pulsars, or rapidly rotating neutron stars, arise from the exploding cores of dying giant stars through supernova. With their high density and rapid rotation, pulsars are an ideal laboratory for studying the laws of physics in extreme environments.

“The development of FAST has entered a golden period, and the stable operation of the detector has made a great contribution to it,” said Jiang Peng, FAST chief engineer, adding that sufficient observation time and outstanding signal capture ability allowed FAST to perform better than telescopes. other radio.

The FAST telescope, located in a naturally deep and round karst depression in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, officially began operating in January 2020. It is believed to be the most sensitive radio telescope in the world. /ts/

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