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Massive Diamond Found Orbiting Pulsar

Posted by timothy on from the think-of-the-street-value-of-this-mountain dept.

HairyNevus writes "A recent survey of pulsars has revealed a fascinating discovery of a millisecond pulsar in system PSR J17191438 that has stripped a nearby white dwarf star down to its very core. Although no longer visible, is still has the mass of Jupiter. The remaining core rotates its neutron star companion with a period of just under 2 hours, indicating extremely close proximity. Given this distance, scientists have calculated that the substance of the core must be very compact, and, without building up the point, they conclude it is made of diamond. One thing I found misleading about the article is that it refers to the core as having 'the size of Jupiter' and 'the mass of Jupiter.' Given their different densities (diamond vs. mostly helium), it would seem clear that their size (i.e. volume) differs."

4 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. Better Press Release by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Informative

    One thing I found misleading about the article is that it refers to the core as having 'the size of Jupiter' and 'the mass of Jupiter.'

    Here's the correct Science Journal link and here is a better press release from the Max Planck Institute that clarifies:

    For the newly discovered pulsar, known as PSR J1719-1438, the astronomers noticed that the arrival times of the pulses were systematically modulated and concluded that this is due to the gravitational pull of a small orbiting companion, a planet. These modulations can tell astronomers several more things about the companion. First, it orbits the pulsar in just two hours and ten minutes, and the distance between the two objects is 600,000 km - a little bit less than the radius of our Sun. Second, the companion is so close to the pulsar that if its diameter was any larger than 60,000 km (less than half the diameter of Jupiter) it would be ripped apart by the gravity of the pulsar.

    So it appears that the article saying "size equivalent to Jupiter" (volume?) is wrong if the Max Planck Institute is correct in saying that its diameter has to be less than half the diameter of Jupiter.

    --
    My work here is dung.
  2. Diamonds are not rare, not even on Earth. by Kenja · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Regardless of what the De Beers group wants you to think, diamonds are not that rare. Carbon is the most common element around.

    Still, its kinda nifty to see such a large chunk of the stuff.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    1. Re:Diamonds are not rare, not even on Earth. by Riceballsan · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Well they are actually rediculously common, were it not for a very very large percentage of the supply in the hands of a handfull of companies, and making a perfect undetectable forgery of a diamond is extremely easy with the right equipment. Without the right lobying and rules, forcing all manufactured diamonds to have a watermark to be distinguished as "fake", and having the actual supply in control of a handful of companies that intentionally release the supply slowly to keep demand high, Diamonds could easilly become cheaper then copper.

  3. Time for a renaming... by Zephyn · · Score: 5, Funny

    We've just got to name the pulsar "Lucy" now.