PSR J1841−0500

{{Short description|Pulsar in the constellation Scutum}}

{{Starbox short

| name = PSR J1841−0500

| constell = Scutum

| ra = {{RA|18|41|18.14}}{{cite simbad|title = PSR J1841−0500|access-date = 29 November 2016}}

| dec = {{DEC|−05|00|19.5}}

| dist_ly = 23000

| dist_pc = 7000{{cn|date=August 2018}}

| Simbad = PSR+J1841-0500

}}

PSR J1841−0500 is a pulsar located 22,800 light-years from the Sun in the Scutum–Centaurus Arm of the Milky Way. It was discovered in December 2008 by Fernando Camilo, who was using the Parkes Observatory when he discovered the object. At the time of discovery, it was spinning once every 0.9 seconds.{{cite web|title=Spinning Star's Vanishing Act Reveals Cosmic Mystery|url=http://www.space.com/14673-vanishing-pulsars-spinning-stars-mystery.html|publisher=Space.com|date=February 27, 2012|accessdate=November 5, 2016}} However, in 2009, it stopped emitting pulses completely.

Most pulsars that stop emitting pulses only do so for a few minutes. But PSR J1841-0500 did so for 580 days. Then in August 2011, it started pulsing again.{{Cite journal|title=PSR J1841-0500: a radio pulsar that mostly is not there|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=746|pages=63|arxiv=1111.5870|date=November 24, 2011|last1=Camilo|first1=F|last2=Ransom|first2=S. M|last3=Chatterjee|first3=S|last4=Johnston|first4=S|last5=Demorest|first5=P|issue=1 |doi=10.1088/0004-637X/746/1/63|bibcode=2012ApJ...746...63C|s2cid=118651283}} In comparison, only one other pulsar is known to stop pulsing for more than a few minutes: PSR B1931+24 turns on for a week and then stops emitting pulses for a month in a cycle.