Number 5 (Story #1), October 18, 1990 by Phillip F. Schewe and Ben Stein SUPERNOVA 1987A PULSAR: Brazilian astronomers have reported observing quasiperiodic optical pulsations from 1987A on September 17 and September 28. Astronomers believe that in the wake of supernova explosions pulsars (rapidly spinning neutron stars broadcasting light in a searchlight pattern) will often be formed. Last year a Berkeley group was mortified to discover that their sighting of a pulsar at 1987A was attributable to an electrical artifact in their equipment. The Brazilians, whose observations have not yet been confirmed, believe that the pulsar (if it is really there) is oriented with its pole toward the earth and that its pulsed radiation comes to us indirectly and intermittently by bouncing off intermediate dust material along the line of sight. (Nature, October 11, 1990.)