The iconic image on Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" album cover is a stacked plot representing the radio emissions from a pulsar, specifically pulsar CP 1919.
The Cosmic Source: Pulsar CP 1919
This distinctive visual representation is not an abstract design but rather a scientific illustration of cosmic phenomena. A pulsar is a highly magnetized, rapidly rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation out of its magnetic poles. As these beams sweep across Earth, they appear as highly regular pulses, similar to a lighthouse beacon.
The image on the album cover is a stacked plot, which means it's a series of individual pulse profiles of the radio waves, stacked vertically to show the regularity and variation in the pulsar's emissions over time. This particular image captures the radio "heartbeat" of PSR B1919+21, often referred to as CP 1919.
A Scientific Discovery Turned Icon
The pulsar CP 1919 holds a significant place in astronomy history. It was the first pulsar ever discovered, marking a groundbreaking moment in scientific exploration.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Object | Pulsar CP 1919 (PSR B1919+21) |
| Type of Image | Stacked plot of radio emissions |
| Discovered By | Jocelyn Bell Burnell & Antony Hewish |
| Date of Discovery | November 1967 |
| Location of Discovery | Cambridge University, UK |
The discovery was made by postgraduate student Jocelyn Bell Burnell and her supervisor Antony Hewish at Cambridge University in November 1967. Originally known for its curious, highly regular radio signals, this object initially sparked theories ranging from natural phenomena to extraterrestrial communication before being definitively identified as a new class of celestial body: the pulsar. Its unique visual representation of these scientific findings has since become one of the most recognizable and enduring album covers in music history.
