China's FAST Telescope Discovers More Than 1,000 Pulsars
According to the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the FAST telescope has identified more new pulsars than all other foreign telescopes combined during the same timeframe.
TroibNews 
China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), the largest and most sensitive single-dish radio telescope in the world, has identified over 1,000 new pulsars since it began operations in 2016, according to the National Astronomical Observatories (NAOC) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which operates the telescope.
The number of pulsars discovered by FAST exceeds the total found by all other international telescopes combined, as reported by the NAOC.
**What are pulsars?**
Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars formed from the collapsed cores of massive stars after supernova explosions. They are distinguished by their emission of electromagnetic pulse signals.
Han Jinlin, a researcher at the NAOC, described the uniqueness of each pulsar, noting that they have distinct pulse and rotation frequencies, likening them to lighthouses in the universe. "Among the pulsars discovered by our team, some have special radiation characteristics, which only emit pulses occasionally, one every few minutes," Han shared with China Media Group. "These previously unknown pulsars are highly significant. Pulsar radiation has been a puzzle for half a century, and FAST's highly sensitive observations provide new clues to help solve this mystery."
Han also highlighted the potential of pulsars for future interstellar navigation. He indicated that if humans venture to other planets, pulsars could function as a navigational system. "By accurately measuring their coordinates and tracking the phase positions of their signals, we could prevent getting lost during interstellar journeys," he explained.
**Impressive performance of FAST**
In under seven years, FAST has located over 1,000 pulsars, including numerous binary and millisecond pulsars. This achievement has not only broadened the variety and quantity of pulsars under study but has also significantly advanced our understanding of their formation and evolution.
Construction of FAST commenced in March 2011 in a naturally occurring deep and round karst depression in Guizhou Province in southwest China. After a debugging phase, the telescope became fully operational in January 2020 and opened to the global scientific community in March 2021.
Pulsar observation is a critical task for FAST, which has also accomplished notable original research in the areas of fast radio bursts, neutral hydrogen, and nanohertz gravitational waves. Among its discoveries is a pulsar binary system with the shortest known orbital period, which provided vital evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves.
In recent years, China has emerged as a leader in pulsar discovery, a development that bears significant implications for testing advanced physical theories, including Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, according to Jiang Peng, director of the FAST Operation and Development Center. "China is making its own contributions to advancing humanity's understanding of the mysteries of space," Jiang stated.
Looking ahead, FAST plans to enhance its sensitivity and spatial resolution by incorporating auxiliary antennas. This upgrade promises to significantly boost its capabilities, facilitating the discovery of more low-luminosity and distant pulsars. A systematic search for pulsars is anticipated to increase the chances of unearthing rare celestial objects.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
The number of pulsars discovered by FAST exceeds the total found by all other international telescopes combined, as reported by the NAOC.
**What are pulsars?**
Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars formed from the collapsed cores of massive stars after supernova explosions. They are distinguished by their emission of electromagnetic pulse signals.
Han Jinlin, a researcher at the NAOC, described the uniqueness of each pulsar, noting that they have distinct pulse and rotation frequencies, likening them to lighthouses in the universe. "Among the pulsars discovered by our team, some have special radiation characteristics, which only emit pulses occasionally, one every few minutes," Han shared with China Media Group. "These previously unknown pulsars are highly significant. Pulsar radiation has been a puzzle for half a century, and FAST's highly sensitive observations provide new clues to help solve this mystery."
Han also highlighted the potential of pulsars for future interstellar navigation. He indicated that if humans venture to other planets, pulsars could function as a navigational system. "By accurately measuring their coordinates and tracking the phase positions of their signals, we could prevent getting lost during interstellar journeys," he explained.
**Impressive performance of FAST**
In under seven years, FAST has located over 1,000 pulsars, including numerous binary and millisecond pulsars. This achievement has not only broadened the variety and quantity of pulsars under study but has also significantly advanced our understanding of their formation and evolution.
Construction of FAST commenced in March 2011 in a naturally occurring deep and round karst depression in Guizhou Province in southwest China. After a debugging phase, the telescope became fully operational in January 2020 and opened to the global scientific community in March 2021.
Pulsar observation is a critical task for FAST, which has also accomplished notable original research in the areas of fast radio bursts, neutral hydrogen, and nanohertz gravitational waves. Among its discoveries is a pulsar binary system with the shortest known orbital period, which provided vital evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves.
In recent years, China has emerged as a leader in pulsar discovery, a development that bears significant implications for testing advanced physical theories, including Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, according to Jiang Peng, director of the FAST Operation and Development Center. "China is making its own contributions to advancing humanity's understanding of the mysteries of space," Jiang stated.
Looking ahead, FAST plans to enhance its sensitivity and spatial resolution by incorporating auxiliary antennas. This upgrade promises to significantly boost its capabilities, facilitating the discovery of more low-luminosity and distant pulsars. A systematic search for pulsars is anticipated to increase the chances of unearthing rare celestial objects.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
