Graphic showing a pulsar spinning very fast. There is text on the graphic that says: "Fast Fact # 3. The fastest spinning millisecond pulsar (PSR J1748-2446ad) is spinning 716 per second on its axis, or ~ 24% the speed of light.

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   CosmicRami (cosmicrami@aus.social)'s status on Wednesday, 20-Dec-2023 22:01:07 JST CosmicRami

   The fastest spinning object ever measured is a millisecond pulsar, rotating at ~24% the speed of light.

   A new study says that with SKA, we should find a handful more of these that could be spinning slightly faster. But there are unlikely any sub-millisecond pulsars.

   There are numerous reasons / theories as to why there is an upper limit for pulsars spinning at higher frequencies, for example, the breakup velocity (they are very well held together!) and the spin-down induced by gravitational radiation.

   This science tells us about matter under these extreme conditions!

   https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.12185

   #Pulsars #RadioAstronomy #Astrophysics #NuclearPhysics #Astrodon