PSR J0108−1431

PSR J0108−1431

Observation data Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation	Cetus
Right ascension	01^h 08^m 08.29^s[1]
Declination	−14° 31′ 48.5″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	≥ 27.8[2]
Astrometry
Proper motion (μ)	RA: 92 ± 44[3] mas/yr Dec.: −176 ± 70[3] mas/yr
Distance	424[4] ly (130 pc)
Details
Temperature	88,000[5] K
Rotation	0.808 s[3]
Age	166 million[3] years
Database references
SIMBAD	data

PSR J0108−1431 is a solitary pulsar located at a distance of about 130 parsecs (424 light-years) in the constellation Cetus. This pulsar was discovered in 1994 during the Parkes Southern Pulsar Survey.^[6] It is considered a very old pulsar with an estimated age of 166 million years and a rotation period of 0.8 seconds.^[3] The rotational energy being generated by the spin-down of this pulsar is 5.8 × 10²³ W and the surface magnetic field is 2.5 × 10⁷ T. As of 2008, it is the second faintest known pulsar.^[2]

An X-ray emission with an energy flux of (9 ± 2) × 10⁻¹⁸ W m⁻² was detected in the 0.3–8 keV band using the Chandra X-ray Observatory. This X-ray energy is generated from the conversion of 0.4% of the pulsar's spin-down power. As of 2009, PSR J0108-1431 is the least powerful of the ordinary pulsars that have been detected in the X-ray range.^[3]

The "Very Large Telescope" at the European Southern Observatory in Northern Chile observed a possible optical counterpart of this neutron star. The object has an apparent magnitude that is (X ≤ 27.8).^[2] No companions have been discovered in orbit around this object.^[4]

References

1. Hobbs, G.; Lyne, A. G.; Kramer, M.; Martin, C. E.; Jordan, C. (October 2004). "Long-term timing observations of 374 pulsars". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 353 (4): 1311–1344. Bibcode:2004MNRAS.353.1311H. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2004.08157.x.
2. Mignani, R. P.; Pavlov, G. G.; Kargaltsev, O. (September 2008). "A possible optical counterpart to the old nearby pulsar J0108-1431". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 488 (3): 1027–1030. arXiv:0805.2586. Bibcode:2008A&A...488.1027M. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:200810212. S2CID 15850807.
3. Pavlov, G. G.; Kargaltsev, O.; Wong, J. A.; Garmire, G. P. (January 2009). "Detection of X-Ray Emission from the Very Old Pulsar J0108-1431". The Astrophysical Journal. 691 (1): 458–464. arXiv:0803.0761. Bibcode:2009ApJ...691..458P. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/691/1/458. S2CID 6283029.
4. Posselt, B.; Neuhäuser, R.; Haberl, F. (March 2009). "Searching for substellar companions of young isolated neutron stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 496 (2): 533–545. arXiv:0811.0398. Bibcode:2009A&A...496..533P. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200810156. S2CID 10639250.
5. Kargaltsev, Oleg; Pavlov, George G.; Romani, Roger W. (February 2004). "Ultraviolet Emission from the Millisecond Pulsar J0437-4715". The Astrophysical Journal. 602 (1): 327–335. arXiv:astro-ph/0310854. Bibcode:2004ApJ...602..327K. doi:10.1086/380993. S2CID 15199158. Based upon black body model.
6. Tauris, T. M.; et al. (June 1994). "Discovery of PSR J0108-1431: The closest known neutron star?" (PDF). The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 428 (2): L53–L55. Bibcode:1994ApJ...428L..53T. doi:10.1086/187391.

External links

• Newton, Kimberly; Watzke, Megan (February 26, 2009). "Geriatric Pulsar Still Kicking". Chandra X-Ray Observatory. NASA. Retrieved 2010-03-04.