Cosmic Game Connections: Wacky Neutron Stars & Pulsar 2849

NASA’s NICER telescope recently released the first-ever surface map of a pulsar, which came with some surprises. How did this finding “break” the standard model of pulsars? I discuss this result and how it connects to the game Pulsar 2849.

And for more information, check out these resources: 

• NASA release: NASA’s NICER Delivers Best-ever Pulsar Measurements, 1st Surface Map
• NASA video about the result
• Pulsar 2849 on BGG
• Pulsar 2849 on CGE
• Astrophysics Journal Letters Focus Issue on these NICER result