NASA-JAXA XRISM Mission Sees Pulsar Gathering Companion’s ‘Wind’

Using data from the Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) observatory, astronomers have directly observed a giant star’s outflow, called a stellar wind, being captured by its compact companion and providing the power source for strong X-ray flares. The research is part of NASA’s exploration of the extreme universe to better understand how

The top 3

  1. XRISM Mission Captures Pulsar Wind Accretion: NASA and JAXA’s XRISM observatory used high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy to directly observe a pulsar capturing stellar wind from its giant companion, fueling powerful X-ray flares in the Cygnus X-1/3 region.
  2. Top 3 Most Powerful Known Pulsars: A ranking of pulsar systems based on rotational energy loss and X-ray luminosity, defining the most extreme energy producers in the Milky Way.
  3. Greatest X-Ray Space Observatories Ever: A comparison of the most impactful X-ray missions in history based on spectral resolution, mission longevity, and discovery rate.

Sources

Open the full topic