Uploaded November 2009 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This animation illustrates the oblique rotator model of a pulsar. Strong magnetic fields cause beamed radio emission from the magnetic poles. Because the magnetic poles are not aligned with the rotation axis, this beamed radio emission sweeps across the heavens. If an observer is in the path of the beam, a radio burst is received at very regular intervals.
This animation illustrates the oblique rotator model of a pulsar. Strong magnetic fields cause beamed radio emission from the magnetic poles. Because the magnetic poles are not aligned with the rotation axis, this beamed radio emission sweeps across the heavens. If an observer is in the path of the beam, a radio burst is received at very regular intervals.
