The Hubble Space Telescope Revisits the Proper Motion of Pulsar B0656+14

Abstract

We report the first successful measurement (with the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2) of a significant proper motion for an m_V~25 object, which we had proposed as the optical counterpart of the radio pulsar PSR B0656+14. The yearly displacement of 43+/-2 mas is highly significant and, while in agreement with early rougher, radio measurements, stands out for its vastly improved accuracy. Together with Shearer and coworker's report of a possible optical pulsation, we regard this result as the final proof of the optical identification of PSR B0656+14. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555.