Pulsar pulverizes an asteroid

Space rocks disrupt steady beat of dead star 37,000 light-years away

 

OFF BEAT  A billion-ton asteroid, seen in this artist’s rendition, is vaporized by the intense radiation of pulsar PSR J0738-4042. The resulting debris cloud wreaks havoc with the pulsar’s steady beat. 

 

JPL-Caltech/NASA

Even pulsars — the rapidly spinning cores of dead stars — get kicked around sometimes.