Chandra X-ray Movie of Vela Pulsar Jet
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This sequence starts with Chandra's wide-field of the region around the Vela Pulsar Jet. The view then zooms into the area covered by Chandra during a series of 13 observations taken over about two and a half years. This movie led astronomers to discover an outer jet shooting out ahead of the moving pulsar. The most striking feature of the jet is its variability, changing both its shape and brightness. Meanwhile, bright blobs are seen moving along the jet with surprising velocities -- at about half of the speed of light.
[Run Time: 1:16]
Wide-field: NASA/CXC/SAO
Animation: NASA/CXC/Penn State/G.Pavlov et al.