26/09/2026
Pulsars are among the fastest spinning objects in the universe.
These three neutron stars show just how extreme their rotation can become.
First, the Crab Pulsar, PSR B0531+21.
It spins about 30 times every second and sits at the heart of the Crab Nebula, roughly 6,500 light years away. It was born in the supernova observed on Earth in 1054 and remains one of the youngest and most energetic pulsars known.
Then there is PSR J1012+5307.
This millisecond pulsar rotates about 190 times per second, completing one rotation in only about 5.3 milliseconds. It is part of a binary system with a very low mass white dwarf companion, and its extraordinarily precise timing has made the system useful for testing theories of gravity.
And then comes PSR J1748−2446ad.
This neutron star spins about 716 times every second, completing a full rotation in just 1.396 milliseconds. It is located in Terzan 5, a dense stellar system in the direction of Sagittarius, roughly 18,000 light years away. It remains the fastest known pulsar.
That means this tiny collapsed star is rotating hundreds of times every second while containing more mass than the Sun inside an object only a few tens of kilometers across.
Pulsars are not just fast.
They are some of the most extreme natural laboratories in the universe.
Sources: NASA Science, Oxford Academic, NASA Technical Reports