Here is a fascinating look at pulsars and quasars.  Pulsars are very different than the typical stars we think of, and recently there have been some especially interesting ones:

A pulsar (portmanteau of pulsating star) is a highly magnetized, rotating neutron star that emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation. This radiation can only be observed when the beam of emission is pointing toward the Earth, much the way a lighthouse can only be seen when the light is pointed in the direction of an observer, and is responsible for the pulsed appearance of emission. Neutron stars are very dense, and have short, regular rotational periods. This produces a very precise interval between pulses that range from roughly milliseconds to seconds for an individual pulsar.

Let’s check out some incredible pulsars and quasars in the video on page 2

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