The Discovery of the First Millisecond Pulsar: Personal Recollections

TL;DR

This paper recounts the first discovery of a millisecond pulsar, PSR B1937+21, based on 1982 Arecibo observations, highlighting its historical significance in astrophysics.

Contribution

It provides a personal historical account of the discovery of the first millisecond pulsar, emphasizing observational details and context.

Findings

First millisecond pulsar discovered in 1982

Highlights importance of Arecibo observations

Serves as a historical record

Abstract

This article provides a first-hand account of the 1982 Arecibo observations that led to the discovery of PSR B1937+21, the first-known millisecond pulsar. It is a companion paper to Demorest & Goss (2024) and Readhead (2024).