Hercules X-1

Hercules X -1 is a Röntgenpulsar and one of the most studied objects in the X-ray astronomy. It is a binary star system, consisting of the variable Blue Giant HZ Herculis and a pulsar ( neutron star ). The periodicity of the X-ray emission and thus the pulsar is 1.24 seconds and the strength of its magnetic field about 4.6 · 108 Tesla. Furthermore, the intensity of the X-ray emission varies with a period of 35 days, which is probably due to a precession of the accretion disk. The orbital period of the binary system is 1.7 days; because of the coverage of the pulsar by HZ Herculis no X-ray radiation can be detected each during 0.24 days. The X-ray source Hercules X -1 was discovered in 1971 by the Uhuru X-ray satellite. He is the prototype of X-ray Doppler star system that emits in the gamma range above 1000 GeV pulsed radiation. Hercules X - 1 was the first Röntgenpulsar, which was also detected in the so-called VHE (very high energy ) gamma range.

• Individual star fifth size and darker
• Ray binary
• Hercules ( constellation )