Shrinivas Kulkarni, the brother of renowned philanthropist Sudha Murty, has made groundbreaking contributions to space science, including the discovery of the first-millisecond pulsar. Despite his low public profile, his work has significantly advanced our understanding of the universe and earned him prestigious awards like the Shaw Prize.
Results for: Pulsar
The Crab Nebula, a cosmic remnant of a supernova explosion that occurred in 1054 AD, continues to evolve before our very eyes. Thanks to the combined data from both the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have captured new insights into the dense neutron star at the nebula’s center, a celestial lighthouse known as a pulsar. Over time, the pulsar’s energy has unleashed a shockwave that is now plowing through the surrounding nebula, creating a mesmerizing ring-like structure. The latest data from Chandra also unveils the pulsar’s dynamic X-ray jet, which exhibits a whip-like movement. This fascinating cosmic dance is providing scientists with valuable clues about the evolution of neutron stars and the aftermath of supernovae.