Is the Vela pulsar associated with the Vela SNR?

✍ Scribed by Patrizia A. Caraveo; Giovanni F. Bignami

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 921 KB
• Volume: 49
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0038-6308
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00173740

✦ Synopsis

Optical data taken in January 1987 from La Silla, when compared with the discovery plate of 1975.2 show no proper motion for PSR 0833 -45, while a very significant one was expected if the pulsar originated in the center of the Vela SNR, which has so far been associated with it. If such an association is to be retained, either an extreme asymmetry of the SNR is required, or both objects are much older than has so far been thought. Both alternatives have their difficulties, thus possibly casting doubts on the reality of this classic SNR/pulsar association.