Optical observations of PSR J0205+6449
Abstract
PSR J0205+6449 is an X-ray and radio pulsar in supernova (SN) remnant 3C 58. We report on observations of the central region of 3C 58 using the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope at the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes, La Palma, with the intention of identifying the optical counterpart of PSR J0205+6449 and characterizing its pulsar wind nebula (PWN). Around the pulsar position, we identified extended emission with a magnitude of B = 23.97 +/-0.10mag, V = 22.95 +/-0.05mag and R = 22.15 +/-0.03mag consistent with a PWN. From the R-band image, we identified three knots with mR = 24.08 +/- 0.07mag (o1), 24.15 +/- 0.07mag (o2) and 24.24 +/- 0.08mag (o3). We confirm the presence of an optical PWN around PSR J0205+6449 and give an upper limit of mR ~ 24 for the optical magnitude of the pulsar. Furthermore, we make the tentative suggestion that our object o1, with an mR ~ 24.08, is the optical counterpart. If confirmed, the pulsar would have an LR/LX ~ 0.004 and an optical efficiency of about five per cent of the Crab pulsar. Such a low efficiency is more consistent with the characteristic age of the pulsar rather than that of SN 1181.
- Publication:
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Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- October 2008
- DOI:
- 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13693.x
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0807.0983
- Bibcode:
- 2008MNRAS.390..235S
- Keywords:
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- pulsars: individual: PSR J0205+6449;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- The paper contains 3 figures and 3 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS