Hewish

Definition

Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Antony Hewish are credited with the discovery of pulsars in 1967. Hewish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1974 for this groundbreaking work.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Antony Hewish co-discovered pulsars, a type of neutron star that emits regular pulses of radio waves.
2. The discovery was made using a radio telescope at the University of Cambridge.
3. Hewish's work on pulsars provided crucial evidence for the existence of neutron stars.
4. Hewish received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1974, shared with Martin Ryle, but not with Jocelyn Bell Burnell, which sparked controversy.
5. Pulsars were first observed as regular radio signals, which were initially thought to be possible signs of extraterrestrial life.

Review Questions

Related terms

Pulsar:

A highly magnetized rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation.

Neutron Star:

The collapsed core of a massive supergiant star, composed almost entirely of neutrons.

Radio Telescope:

An astronomical instrument used to detect radio emissions from the sky, typically from natural celestial objects.