Pulsars have baffled scientists for decades, including how they work and what form matter takes within a pulsar. Using data collected by the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) Mission between July 2017 and December 2018, scientists have not only been able to make the most precise size measurements of Pulsar J0030+0451 (located 1,100 light-years away in the constellation Pisces), but they have also mapped hotspots located on its surface. This week we are joined by Dr. Zaven Arzoumanian and Dr. Keith Gendreau, members of the Goddard Team that mapped J0030 and co-authors of "Focus on NICER Constraints on the Dense Matter Equation of State" published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters in December, 2019. Zaven is the Deputy Principal Investigator and Science Lead for NICER. Keith is Principal Investigator NICER. Be sure to follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/keithgendreau You can read more about this achievement here: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/nasa-s-nicer-delivers-best-ever-pulsar-measurements-1st-surface-map Want to learn more about the NICER mission? Visit their webpage: https://www.nasa.gov/nicer  **************************************** The Weekly Space Hangout is a production of CosmoQuest. Want to support CosmoQuest? Here are some specific ways you can help: Subscribe FREE to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/cosmoquest Subscribe to our podcasts Astronomy Cast and Daily Space where ever you get your podcasts! Watch our streams over on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/cosmoquestx – follow and subscribe! Become a Patreon of CosmoQuest https://www.patreon.com/cosmoquestx Become a Patreon of Astronomy Cast https://www.patreon.com/astronomycast Buy stuff from our Redbubble https://www.redbubble.com/people/cosmoquestx Join our Discord server for CosmoQuest - https://discord.gg/X8rw4vv Join the Weekly Space Hangout Crew! - http://www.wshcrew.space/ Don't forget to like and subscribe! Plus we love being shared out to new people, so tweet, comment, review us... all the free things you can do to help bring science into people's lives.