  Our knowledge of the optical spectra of Isolated Neutron Stars (INSs) is
limited by their intrinsic faintness. Among the fourteen optically identified
INSs, medium resolution spectra have been obtained only for a handful of
objects. No spectrum has been published yet for the Vela pulsar (PSR B0833-45),
the third brightest (V=23.6) INS with an optical counterpart. Optical
multi-band photometry underlines a flat continuum.In this work we present the
first optical spectroscopy observations of the Vela pulsar, performed in the
4000-11000 A spectral range.Our observations have been performed at the ESO VLT
using the FORS2 instrument. The spectrum of the Vela pulsar is characterized by
a flat power-law (alpha = -0.04 +/- 0.04), which compares well with the values
obtained from broad-band photometry. This confirms, once more, that the optical
emission of Vela is entirely of magnetospheric origin. The comparison between
the optical spectral indeces of rotation-powered INSs does not show evidence
for a spectral evolution suggesting that, as in the X-rays, the INS aging does
not affect the spectral properties of the magnetospheric emission. At the same
time, the optical spectral indeces are found to be nearly always flatter then
the X-rays ones, clearly suggesting a general spectral turnover at lower
energies.
