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Characteristics
A pulsar is extremely small, measuring only 20 km in diameter. It is an extremely dense star remnant that has a mass 1.4 times that of the sun.
Formation
Neutron stars and pulsars form after a supernova. The supernova explodes off the outer layers of the star. The core of the star collapses under intense gravity, causing protons and electrons to combine to form neutrons.
Why it Pulsates
The magnetic and rotational axes of a pulsar are misaligned. Particle jets are concentrated into a beam at the magnetic poles. This beam sweeps through space as the star rotates.
Discovery
Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered pulsars in 1967 while performing graduate research. She discovered them by noticing that there were radio frequencies in space that would blink on and off at a constant frequency.
Known Pulsars
The Crab Nebula has a pulsar that was formed during a supernova observed in 1054 A.D. In 2003, a binary pulsar system was discovered just 200 light years from Earth. Over 40 binary pulsars have been discovered as of 2009.