Lighthouse Model of a Pulsar

This animation illustrates the basic idea of the lighthouse model for pulsars. If these gyrating beams sweep over the Earth, they act similar to a lighthouse and we observe flashes of light. Thus, the star appears to be pulsing, even though it is neither pulsing nor is it really a star. Usage: Click "Play" to begin and "Stop" to pause. "Step" moves forward one step and "Back" moves backwards one step. "Home" returns to the beginning from any point.