This captivating composite image, released on July 9, 2026, features stunning regions of the Earth, highlighting a pulsar—a highly energetic and fast-rotating neutron star with a powerful magnetic field nestled within the Lighthouse Nebula. The image integrates X-ray data from the illustrious Chandra X-ray Observatory. Purple represents X-rays captured by NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), blue denotes X-rays, and green represents radio emissions collected by the Australian Small Telescope Array.
In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists utilized IXPE to directly measure the magnetic field of a pulsar for the very first time. This research marks a significant step in NASA’s quest to unveil the mysteries of the universe, shedding light on the intricate structures of some of the cosmos’ most extreme entities. For an in-depth understanding of these findings, refer to a detailed paper, published in the Astrophysical Journal on July 9th.
Discover more about the innovative applications of IXPE.
Image credit: X-ray: Chandra: NASA/CXC/Stanford Univ./J. Dinsmore et al. IXPE: NASA/MSFC/J. Dinsmore et al., Radio: CSIRO/ATNF/ATCA; Optical: 2MASS/UMass/IPAC-Caltech/NASA/NSF; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare
Source: www.nasa.gov