Optical observations of southern pulsars

A search for optical pulsations from radio pulsars has resulted in optical identification of the Vela pulsar (PSR 0833-45), and upper limits to pulsed emission from PSR 0736-40, 0740-28, 1055-52 and 1449-64. Improved measurements of the position, magnitude and colour of the Vela pulsar are consistent with its identification with a faint blue star with small colour excess. If the optical luminosity of a pulsar is proportional to Psup(-n), where P is its period, the results are consistent with n = 10.5. (author)