Astronomers spot a giant hand-shaped pulsar in X-ray and radio glow, NASA shares image

Pulsar Shaped Like a Hand Reveals Fresh Mysteries (Image: Canva)

In 2009, NASA unveiled a striking cosmic image. A pulsar and its nebula appeared like a giant hand. Since then, scientists have returned to study the strange sight.

What is this mysterious pulsar and nebula?
At the centre lies pulsar B1509-58, spinning rapidly. Though only 12 miles wide, it powers vast forces. Its surrounding nebula, MSH 15-52, stretches 150 light-years across. In X-rays, the structure resembles a palm with fingers. The pulsar formed when a massive star collapsed violently. That collapse sent outer layers outward as a supernova blast.

How was the new image created?
Researchers used Chandra X-ray data with fresh radio views. The Australia Telescope Compact Array revealed complex red filaments. These were overlaid with X-rays shown in blue, orange, yellow. Optical images of hydrogen gas in gold completed the view. Areas overlapping in X-ray and radio appear purple. Stars and supernova debris from RCW 89 also appear.

The pulsar spins almost seven times every second. Its magnetic field is 15 trillion times stronger than Earth’s. This energy drives winds of electrons and other particles. These winds sculpt the nebula into its eerie hand shape.

What puzzles researchers about the observations?
Some X-ray features are missing from radio views. The jet and finger tips seem absent in radio. This suggests energetic particles are leaking along magnetic lines. Researchers also saw RCW 89 behaving differently than expected. Its patchy radio emission mirrors clumps in X-ray and optical. Oddly, it extends beyond X-ray boundaries of the nebula.

Another mystery lies at the supernova’s X-ray edge. The sharp boundary suggests a powerful blast wave. Yet there is no matching radio emission detected there. This challenges what is normally seen in young remnants.

What comes next for astronomers?
MSH 15-52 and RCW 89 remain unusual cosmic laboratories. Their features differ greatly from typical young supernova remnants. Many questions remain about their origins and evolution. Further studies will probe how pulsar winds shape such environments.

The findings, led by Shumeng Zhang of Hong Kong, were published in The Astrophysical Journal. NASA’s Chandra operations continue to be managed from Massachusetts. The mission is overseen by Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.