A ghost supernova remnant around PSR 0950+08

Four occultation scans across the nearby pulsar PSR 0950+08 have been observed at 327 MHz. These observations provide evidence for an extended halo of non-thermal emission underlying the pulsar. This halo, with an east-west extent of approximately 1 arcmin and a flux density of 0.2 +- 0.07 Jy at 327 MHz, could be the 'ghost' supernova remnant theoretically postulated to form around an old pulsar. Positional coordinates of the pulsar, derived to an accuracy of +- 2 arcsec from the four occultation scans are in good agreement with those inferred from pulse-timing measurements. (author)