I'm looking to make a custom pulsar map like the one on the Voyager Records, but for an arbitrary location within the Milky Way Galaxy. I'm not even sure where to begin.
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2 Answers
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The pulsar map used by Pioneer and Voyager is a diagram of the position of the Sun relative to 14 galactic pulsars. It encodes their positions, distances, and pulse periods, which in theory makes it a decent tool for identifying where the Solar System is (although there are some issues with it). To make a similar map for an arbitrary point in the galaxy, you'd need to find a selection of pulsars near that location, and encode the same amount of information. To do that, you need a database of pulsars.
The Australian Telescope National Facility (ATNF) has a really excellent pulsar catalogue that I like to use, with over 2600 entries. You can query it fairly easily using a number of parameters, including distance, dispersion measure, coordinates, pulse period, etc. This makes it a handy tool to match observations with already known pulsars, but it should also be well-suited to your needs. You can get a list of pulsar names, coordinates, periods and distances by checking the JName, RaJ, DecJ, P0 and Dist parameters in the search interface, then click the button to get a table of the results. You should then be able to compute the positions of all of the pulsars in the catalogue in your coordinate system of choice, then re-compute their positions with respect to a chosen location in space.
The output of the first hundred rows looks like this:
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# NAME RAJ DECJ P0 DIST
(hms) (dms) (s) (kpc)
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1 J0002+6216 cwp+17 00:02:58.17 2 cwp+17 +62:16:09.4 1 cwp+17 0.1153635682680 14 cwp+17 *
2 J0006+1834 cnt96 00:06:04.8 2 cn95 +18:34:59 4 cn95 0.69374767047 14 cn95 0.86
3 J0007+7303 aaa+09c 00:07:01.7 2 awd+12 +73:03:07.4 8 awd+12 0.3158731909 3 awd+12 1.40
4 J0011+08 dsm+16 00:11:34 114 dsm+16 +08:10 8 dsm+16 2.55287 0 dsm+16 5.40
5 B0011+47 dth78 00:14:17.75 4 hlk+04 +47:46:33.4 3 hlk+04 1.240699038946 11 hlk+04 1.78
6 J0023+0923 hrm+11 00:23:16.878141 9 abb+18 +09:23:23.8652 3 abb+18 0.003050203104480002 7 abb+18 1.11
7 J0024-7201Z 00:24:06.041 2 frk+17 -72:05:01.480 6 frk+17 0.004554447383906 3 frk+17 2.56
8 J0024-7204aa phl+16 00:24:05.67 0 mam+06 -72:04:52.62 0 mam+06 0.00184 0 phl+16 2.69
9 J0024-7204ab phl+16 00:24:08.1615 5 frk+17 -72:04:47.602 2 frk+17 0.0037046394947985 6 frk+17 2.54
10 B0021-72C mld+90 00:23:50.3546 1 frk+17 -72:04:31.5048 4 frk+17 0.00575677999551635 14 frk+17 4.69
11 B0021-72D mlr+91 00:24:13.88092 6 frk+17 -72:04:43.8524 2 frk+17 0.00535757328486573 9 frk+17 4.69
12 B0021-72E mlr+91 00:24:11.10528 5 frk+17 -72:05:20.1492 2 frk+17 0.00353632915276244 4 frk+17 4.69
13 B0021-72F mlr+91 00:24:03.85547 10 frk+17 -72:04:42.8183 2 frk+17 0.00262357935251262 4 frk+17 4.69
14 B0021-72G rlm+95 00:24:07.9603 1 frk+17 -72:04:39.7030 5 frk+17 0.00404037914356515 14 frk+17 4.69
15 B0021-72H mlr+91 00:24:06.7032 2 frk+17 -72:04:06.8067 6 frk+17 0.00321034070935032 11 frk+17 4.69
16 B0021-72I mlr+91 00:24:07.9347 2 frk+17 -72:04:39.6815 7 frk+17 0.00348499206166289 13 frk+17 4.69
17 B0021-72J mlr+91 00:23:59.4077 1 frk+17 -72:03:58.7908 5 frk+17 0.00210063354535246 5 frk+17 4.69
18 B0021-72L rlm+95 00:24:03.7721 3 frk+17 -72:04:56.923 2 frk+17 0.0043461679994616 4 frk+17 4.69
19 B0021-72M mlr+91 00:23:54.4899 3 frk+17 -72:05:30.756 2 frk+17 0.0036766432176002 3 frk+17 4.69
20 B0021-72N rlm+95 00:24:09.1880 2 frk+17 -72:04:28.8907 7 frk+17 0.00305395434626085 10 frk+17 4.69
21 J0024-7204O clf+00 00:24:04.65254 6 frk+17 -72:04:53.7670 2 frk+17 0.00264334329724357 5 frk+17 4.69
22 J0024-7204P clf+00 00:24:20 29 rft+16 -72:04:10 62 rft+16 0.0036430207 3 rft+16 4.69
23 J0024-7204Q clf+00 00:24:16.4909 1 frk+17 -72:04:25.1644 6 frk+17 0.00403318118457258 15 frk+17 4.69
24 J0024-7204R clf+00 00:24:07.5851 2 frk+17 -72:04:50.3954 5 frk+17 0.00348046270749329 13 frk+17 4.69
25 J0024-7204S clf+00 00:24:03.9794 1 frk+17 -72:04:42.3530 4 frk+17 0.00283040595787912 8 frk+17 4.69
26 J0024-7204T clf+00 00:24:08.5491 5 frk+17 -72:04:38.932 3 frk+17 0.0075884798073671 12 frk+17 4.69
27 J0024-7204U clf+00 00:24:09.8366 1 frk+17 -72:03:59.6882 4 frk+17 0.00434282669639233 12 frk+17 4.69
28 J0024-7204V clf+00 00:24:05.67 0 mam+06 -72:04:52.62 0 mam+06 0.00481016762 7 rft+16 4.69
29 J0024-7204W clf+00 00:24:06.058 1 rft+16 -72:04:49.088 2 rft+16 0.0023523445319370 3 rft+16 4.69
30 J0024-7204X fre08 00:24:22.38565 9 rft+16 -72:01:17.4414 7 rft+16 0.00477152291069356 5 rft+16 4.69
31 J0024-7204Y frk+17 00:24:01.4026 1 frk+17 -72:04:41.8363 4 frk+17 0.00219665714352123 5 frk+17 4.69
32 J0024-7204Z fre08 00:24:05.67 0 mam+06 -72:04:52.62 0 mam+06 0.004554 0 fre08 4.69
33 J0026+6320 jml+09 00:26:50.561 8 jml+09 +63:20:00.87 5 jml+09 0.318357731235 1 jml+09 6.42
34 J0030+0451 lzb+00 00:30:27.42781 4 abb+18 +04:51:39.7113 14 abb+18 0.0048654532112551 3 abb+18 0.32
35 J0033+57 hrk+08 00:33 0 hrk+08 +57 0 hrk+08 0.315 0 hrk+08 2.25
36 J0033+61 hrk+08 00:33 0 hrk+08 +61 0 hrk+08 0.912 0 hrk+08 1.64
37 J0034-0534 bhl+94 00:34:21.83422 8 dcl+16 -05:34:36.722 3 dcl+16 0.0018771818845850 2 aaa+10b 1.35
38 B0031-07 lvw69a 00:34:08.8703 1 cbv+09 -07:21:53.409 2 cbv+09 0.9429509945598 17 hlk+04 1.03
39 J0034+69 slr+14 00:34 3 slr+14 +69:43 18 slr+14 0.03680412 16 slr+14 2.28
40 B0037+56 dtws85 00:40:32.362 6 hlk+04 +57:16:24.91 6 hlk+04 1.1182253452412 13 hlk+04 2.42
41 J0045-7042 mfl+06 00:45:25.69 17 mfl+06 -70:42:07.1 13 mfl+06 0.63233580002 6 mfl+06 59.70
42 J0045-7319 mmh+91 00:45:35.16 7 kbm+96 -73:19:03.0 2 kbm+96 0.92627590497 3 kbm+96 59.70
43 B0045+33 dtws85 00:48:33.98 3 hlk+04 +34:12:08.0 4 hlk+04 1.217094296058 8 hlk+04 4.50
44 J0050+03 dsm+16 00:50:31 113 dsm+16 +03:48 8 dsm+16 1.36656 0 dsm+16 25.00
45 J0051+0423 snt97 00:51:30.1 2 snt97 +04:22:49 6 snt97 0.35473179890 1 snt97 1.25
46 J0053+69 slr+14 00:53 3 slr+14 +69:39 18 slr+14 0.832938 28 slr+14 2.75
47 J0054+66 hrk+08 00:54 0 hrk+08 +66 0 hrk+08 1.39 0 hrk+08 0.90
48 J0054+69 kkl+15 00:54:28 25 kkl+15 +69:26 2 kkl+15 * 0 * 2.35
49 B0052+51 dtws85 00:55:45.378 10 hlk+04 +51:17:24.97 11 hlk+04 2.115171148865 4 hlk+04 1.94
50 B0053+47 dtws85 00:56:25.51 2 hlk+04 +47:56:10.5 3 hlk+04 0.472036662076 7 hlk+04 1.12
51 J0057-7201 ckm+01 00:57:44.0 4 ckm+01 -72:01:19 2 ckm+01 0.7380624426 2 ckm+01 3.48
52 J0058+6125 hrk+08 00:58 0 hrk+08 +61:25 0 hrk+08 0.637 0 hrk+08 2.61
53 J0059+50 slr+14 00:59 2 slr+14 +50:02 18 slr+14 0.996009 61 slr+14 2.61
54 J0100-7211 lfmp02 01:00:43.03 11 mgr+05 -72:11:33.6 5 mgr+05 8.020392 9 mgr+05 59.70
55 J0101-6422 kcj+12 01:01:11.1163 2 kcj+12 -64:22:30.171 2 kcj+12 0.0025731519721683 2 kcj+12 1.00
56 J0102+4839 hrm+11 01:03 0 hrm+11 +48:00 0 * 0.00296 0 hrm+11 2.38
57 B0059+65 dbtb82 01:02:32.958 16 hlk+04 +65:37:13.40 11 hlk+04 1.679164229064 12 hlk+04 1.98
58 J0103+54 kkl+15 01:03:37 20 kkl+15 +54:02 5 kkl+15 0.354304 6 kkl+15 2.01
59 J0106+4855 pga+12 01:06:25.06 1 pga+12 +48:55:51.8 2 pga+12 0.0831573050050 6 pga+12 3.06
60 J0108-1431 tnj+94 01:08:08.347016 88 dtbr09 -14:31:50.1871 11 dtbr09 0.807564614019 20 hlk+04 0.21
61 B0105+65 dls72 01:08:22.64 5 hlk+04 +66:08:34.0 3 hlk+04 1.2836598429 5 hlk+04 1.46
62 B0105+68 dtws85 01:08:29.50 2 hlk+04 +69:05:52.63 11 hlk+04 1.071118109859 5 hlk+04 1.98
63 J0111-7131 mfl+06 01:11:28.77 9 mfl+06 -71:31:46.8 6 mfl+06 0.68854151164 5 mfl+06 59.70
64 J0112+66 slr+14 01:12 3 slr+14 +66:22 18 slr+14 4.30124 70 slr+14 2.42
65 J0113-7220 ckm+01 01:13:11.09 3 ckm+01 -72:20:32.20 15 ckm+01 0.32588301613 1 ckm+01 59.70
66 B0114+58 stwd85 01:17:38.661 3 hlk+04 +59:14:38.39 3 hlk+04 0.1014390664824 20 hlk+04 1.77
67 J0125+62 slr+14 01:26 3 slr+14 +62:35 18 slr+14 1.708233 98 slr+14 2.40
68 J0131-7310 mfl+06 01:31:28.51 3 mfl+06 -73:10:09.34 13 mfl+06 0.348124045581 7 mfl+06 59.70
69 J0133-6957 lml+98 01:33:32.46 1 dsb+98 -69:57:29.68 3 dsb+98 0.463473741703 3 dsb+98 2.44
70 J0134-2937 mld+96 01:34:18.6824 3 lwy+16 -29:37:17.042 7 lwy+16 0.136961610513651 14 lwy+16 25.00
71 J0136+63 slr+14 01:36 3 slr+14 +63:42 18 slr+14 0.717895 27 slr+14 9.12
72 J0137+1654 lxf+05 01:37:23.88 1 lxf+05 +16:54:42.1 4 lxf+05 0.4147630265082 5 lxf+05 3.06
73 J0139+33 ttm+18 01:39:10 120 ttm+18 +33:10 15 ttm+18 * 0 * 1.47
74 J0139+5621 cvh+14 01:39:38.56 2 cvh+14 +56:21:36.8 4 cvh+14 1.77534382596 10 cvh+14 2.41
75 B0136+57 dth78 01:39:19.7401 12 cbv+09 +58:14:31.819 17 cbv+09 0.272450630950 15 hlk+04 2.60
76 B0138+59 mth72 01:41:39.938 8 hlk+04 +60:09:32.30 7 hlk+04 1.2229485205457 18 hlk+04 2.30
77 J0141+63 slr+14 01:41 2 slr+14 +63:08 8 slr+14 0.04668588 49 slr+14 8.77
78 J0146+31 ttol16 01:46:15 40 ttol16 +31:04 10 ttol16 0.9381 0 ttol16 1.83
79 J0146+6145 ims94 01:46:22.42 10 pkw+03 +61:45:02.8 7 pkw+03 8.6889941 4 dk14 3.60
80 B0144+59 stwd85 01:47:44.6457 17 ywml10 +59:22:03.293 15 ywml10 0.19632137543003 16 ywml10 1.58
81 B0148-06 mlt+78 01:51:22.701 11 hlk+04 -06:35:02.8 4 hlk+04 1.464664549334 7 hlk+04 25.00
82 J0152+0948 clm+05 01:52:23.73 5 clm+05 +09:48:10 2 clm+05 2.74664729014 10 clm+05 2.48
83 B0149-16 mlt+78 01:52:10.8536 17 hlk+04 -16:37:52.99 4 hlk+04 0.8327416126878 13 hlk+04 0.92
84 J0156+04 dsm+16 01:56:01 114 dsm+16 +04:02 8 dsm+16 * 0 * 25.00
85 B0153+39 dtws85 01:56:55.2 3 hlk+04 +39:49:29 5 hlk+04 1.81156061131 10 hlk+04 4.91
86 B0154+61 dls72 01:57:49.93 3 hlk+04 +62:12:25.90 17 hlk+04 2.35174493646 7 hlk+04 1.39
87 J0158+21 dsm+13 01:58:29 32 dsm+13 +21:08 8 dsm+13 0.5053 0 dsm+13 1.57
88 J0201+7005 kkl+15 02:01:41.344 7 kkl+15 +70:05:18.11 6 kkl+15 1.349184471846 10 kkl+15 1.17
89 J0205+6449 mss+02 02:05:37.92247 15 bkr+13 +64:49:41.3343 10 bkr+13 0.06571592849324 9 lrc+09 3.20
90 B0203-40 mlt+78 02:06:01.268 9 smd93 -40:28:04.33 14 smd93 0.630550140847 6 smd93 1.26
91 J0211-8159 lml+98 02:11:59.0 3 dsb+98 -81:59:36.2 3 dsb+98 1.0773327013 8 dsb+98 1.52
92 J0212+5222 bck+13 02:12:52.2 6 bck+13 +52:22:45 13 bck+13 0.376386292 1 bck+13 1.56
93 J0214+5222 slr+14 02:14:55.2713 34 slr+14 +52:22:40.95 19 slr+14 0.02457529479071 22 slr+14 1.16
94 J0215+6218 llc98 02:15:56.626 10 hlk+04 +62:18:33.37 10 hlk+04 0.548879819155 3 hlk+04 2.00
95 J0218+4232 nbf+95 02:18:06.358569 4 dyc+14 +42:32:17.37515 8 dyc+14 0.00232309053151224 8 dcl+16 3.15
96 J0220+36 ttol16 02:20:50 60 ttol16 +36:22 15 ttol16 1.0297 0 ttol16 2.25
97 J0229+20 dsm+13 02:29:03 32 dsm+13 +20:58 8 dsm+13 0.8069 0 dsm+13 2.09
98 B0226+70 dtws85 02:31:13.99 3 hlk+04 +70:26:33.88 17 hlk+04 1.466820306152 7 hlk+04 1.76
99 J0241+16 dsm+13 02:41:46 31 dsm+13 +16:04 8 dsm+13 1.5454 0 dsm+13 0.94
100 J0242+62 hrk+08 02:42:35 3 cvh+14 +62:56:50 36 cvh+14 0.592 0 hrk+08 0.22
The peculiar numbers are links in the table to the referenced publications that are the sources of the data. Ignoring those, the output is pretty simple to parse (manually or via a script, if you want).
Some things to keep in mind:
- Not all of the pulsars have all five parameters, so not all of the entries will be useful for you.
- This isn't a complete list of all pulsars in the galaxy; it's just the most comprehensive one I know (and have used). We only know a small fraction of the total galactic pulsar population.
- Keep your units in mind. Right ascension is given in hours-minutes-seconds format, declination is give in degrees-minutes-seconds format, and distances are in kiloparsecs.
This information should allow you to create a pulsar map for use within the Milky Way. It might not be terribly helpful, given our small (and incomplete) sample, but it's a start.
answered Nov 4, 2018 at 0:47
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$\begingroup$ This wouldn't"t work. Pulsars emit beamed radiation. If you go somewhere else in the Milky Way, you won't see them $\endgroup$– ProfRobCommented Nov 4, 2018 at 8:51
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$\begingroup$ You both make good points. What would be better than a pulsar map? Black holes maybe? They spew x-rays in all directions iirc. I realized that the positions would still drift over cosmic time periods $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 4, 2018 at 19:09
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$\begingroup$ @CygnusX-1 I have included that in my answer $\endgroup$– ProfRobCommented Nov 4, 2018 at 19:35
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The idea of a pulsar map that can be used anywhere in the Milky Way is probably a non-starter.
Pulsars emit beamed radiation. That is, the radiation is restricted to a relatively narrow cone that sweeps around like a light house. If you aren't within the cone, then you don't see the pulsar. We likely only see 10% of the existing pulsars in our neighborhood (e.g. Maciesiak et al. 2011).
Thus if you move any appreciable distance in the Milky Way you will see a quite different set of pulsars, $>90$% of which we don't even know about.
Now you might be able to recognise the small subset of known pulsars that are seen at some different point, except there is a further problem. These maps are not especially useful for posterity; they are only valid over a limited cosmic epoch as well as over a limited volume. The pulsar phenomenon switches off within a million years or so and pulsar periods and pulse shapes will change over a considerably shorter time than this. The few pulsars that can be seen here and at another point in the Milky Way might be unrecognisable in the future.
I would recommend the use of globular clusters for Milky Way mapping. Each one has a unique chemical composition mixture and HR diagram; they are more or less symmetrically distributed, can be observed over long distances, their distances can be estimated without a parallax, they will look the same tens of millions of years into the future and our catalogues are reasonably complete except on the other side of the Galactic centre.
