Discovery of a radio emitting neutron star with an ultra-long spin period of 76 seconds

Understand

The radio-emitting neutron star population encompasses objects with spin periods ranging from milliseconds to tens of seconds.

• As they age and spin more slowly, their radio emission is expected to cease.
• We present the discovery of an ultra-long period radio-emitting neutron star, J0901-4046, with spin properties distinct from the known spin and magnetic-decay powered neutron stars.
• With a spin-period of 75.88 s, a characteristic age of 5.3 Myr, and a narrow pulse duty-cycle, it is uncertain how radio emission is generated and challenges our current understanding of how these systems evolve.