{"id":10861,"date":"2025-09-07T15:36:35","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T15:36:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/?post_type=lesson&#038;p=10861"},"modified":"2025-10-02T06:32:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T06:32:21","slug":"black-widow-pulsar-ds","status":"publish","type":"lesson","link":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/lesson\/black-widow-pulsar-ds\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Widow Pulsar (DS)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><div class=\"class-box class-image\">\r\n\t<ul class=\"data-list\">\r\n\t\t<li>\r\n\t\t\t<a class=\"\" title=\"Journey deeper into Space\" href=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/journeys\/journey-deeper-into-space\/\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"class-logo medium\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Journey_deeper_into_Space-Tall.png\" alt=\"Journey deeper into Space\" title=\"Journey deeper into Space\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/li>\r\n\t<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<!--<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h2 class=\"class-title\">Black Widow Pulsar<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>-->\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Key Information<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h3 class=\"class-title\">Black Widow Pulsar<\/h3>\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Type<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Neutron Star (Pulsar)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Star Type<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Neutron Star<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Diameter<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>12.38 miles<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Mass<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>1.4 M\u2609<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Temperature<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>359,540 \u00b0F<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Distance<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>4990 light years<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Date of Discovery<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>1988<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Other Names<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>PSR B1957+20, QX Sge<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Planets<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>1 (or a brown dwarf)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Learning Point<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>The <strong>Black Widow Pulsar<\/strong> is a <strong>tiny <\/strong>but <strong>very powerful star<\/strong> that <strong>spins incredibly <\/strong>fast. It&#8217;s a type of star called a <strong>pulsar<\/strong>, which is <strong>what&#8217;s left behind<\/strong> when a <strong>giant star explodes<\/strong>. This pulsar got its nickname because it&#8217;s <strong>slowly<\/strong> &#8220;<strong>eating<\/strong>&#8221; a smaller <strong>companion star<\/strong> or <strong>planet<\/strong>, kind of like a black widow spider eats its mate. As it spins, it <strong>shoots out powerful beams of energy<\/strong> and light that <strong>sweep across space<\/strong>. When we see those beams from Earth, they <strong>look like quick flashes<\/strong>, just like the light from a <strong>spinning lighthouse<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Project<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Draw a diagram of the pulsar, the brown dwarf and the bow wave.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tabs gutena-tabs-block gutena-tabs-block-77de37-56 class-container class-tab\"><ul class=\"gutena-tabs-tab tab-flex\"><li class=\"gutena-tab-title active\" data-tab=\"1\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>Overview<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"gutena-tab-title inactive\" data-tab=\"2\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>Bow Wave<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"gutena-tabs-content is-layout-flow wp-block-gutena-tabs-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-543fc0-6f active class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"1\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69d3e0c580e1f&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69d3e0c580e1f\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Pulsar-1024x538.jpg\" alt=\"Black Widow Pulsar\" class=\"wp-image-10973\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Pulsar-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Pulsar-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Pulsar-768x404.jpg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Pulsar-1536x807.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Pulsar.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-05a1ad-fd inactive class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"2\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69d3e0c581558&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69d3e0c581558\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"576\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Bow_Wave.jpg\" alt=\"Bow wave of Black Widow Pulsar\" class=\"wp-image-10976\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Bow_Wave.jpg 576w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Bow_Wave-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Black_Widow_Bow_Wave-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By X-ray: NASA\/CXC\/ASTRON\/B.Stappers et al.; Optical: AAO\/J.Bland-Hawthorn &amp; H.Jones &#8211; <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external free\" href=\"http:\/\/chandra.harvard.edu\/photo\/2003\/b1957\/b1957_comp.jpg\">http:\/\/chandra.harvard.edu\/photo\/2003\/b1957\/b1957_comp.jpg<\/a>, Public Domain, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=10903630\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Location<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-10861 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1278\" height=\"738\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Black_Widow_Pulsar_Location.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Location of Black Widow Pulsar\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Black_Widow_Pulsar_Location.png 1278w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Black_Widow_Pulsar_Location-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Black_Widow_Pulsar_Location-1024x591.png 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Black_Widow_Pulsar_Location-768x443.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1278px) 100vw, 1278px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Location<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Sagitta constellation, within the Milky Way<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Fun Facts<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>The Black Widow Pulsar spins incredibly fast, completing a full rotation about 622 times every single second!<\/li>\n<li>&nbsp;It got its name because it&#8217;s slowly &#8220;eating&#8221; or destroying its tiny companion star, just like a black widow spider sometimes eats her mate.<\/li>\n<li>It&#8217;s a type of star called a <strong>pulsar<\/strong>, which is a super-dense star that&#8217;s the size of a city but has more mass than our Sun.<\/li>\n<li>As it spins, it sends out beams of energy and light, and when those beams sweep past Earth, we can see it as a flash, just like a lighthouse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Past Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"icon\">141<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">August 12, 2025<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>(North America)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Past Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Upcoming Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Upcoming Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-10861","lesson","type-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson\/10861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}