The Vela pulsar is a neutron star born over 10,000 years agoin a massive supernova explosion.Above, false-colo x-ray images from th ChandraObservatory reveal details of this remnant pulsar' x-ray bright nebulaalong with emission from a spectacular jet ofhigh-energy particles.In this time-lapse seriesof pictures, the je seems to dancearound very much like an out-of-control firehose,shooting along the pulsar'sdirection of motion (toward the top right corner)to a length of about half a light-year whilewhipping back and forth at about half the speed of light.Highly magnetized and spinning over 10 times a second,the Vela pulsar is thought of as cosmichigh-voltage generator, powering the x-ray nebula anddynamic cosmic jet.A mere 800 light-years away thepulsar itself is located nearthe lower left corner in the four panels.
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