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Session 21 -- Pulsars

Oral presentation, Monday, 30, 1994, 2:00-3:30

[21.04] Optical Observations of PSR1509-58

PSR 1509-58 (P=150 msec) is unique in many respects: it is the pulsar with the highest period derivative, hence probably the one with the highest B known so far (about $10 ^{13} G$). This, in spite of its relatively long period, makes itthe second youngest pulsar after the Crab nebula. \\A possible optical counterpart has been discovered by Caraveo, Mereghetti and Bignami (Ap.J. Lett in press) using the New Technology Telescope of the EuropeanSouthern Observatory in June 93. It is an object of 22nd mag in V, which is seento coincide precisely (better than 0.5 arcsec) with the sub-arcsec radio position of the pulsar. \\More data on the optical counterpart of PSR1509-58 will be collected at the beginning of May using the 3.6 m telescope of the European Southern Observatory.Aim of the observing run is to perform fast photometry of the proposed optical counterpart in order to say a definite word on the pulsar's identification.

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