"Astronomers have found an unusual celestial pair: a pulsar and a helium star in orbit around each other"
**A Rare and Exotic Binary System Discovered: A Millisecond Pulsar Orbiting a Helium Star**
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have uncovered a unique binary system consisting of a millisecond pulsar orbiting a helium star. This exotic system, named PSR J1928+1815, was found using the China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST).
Pulsars, neutron stars that rotate hundreds of times per second and emit beams of radiation from their poles, are known for their regularity and predictability. However, this new discovery promises to unearth more 'oddballs' as scientists survey the galaxy with unprecedented sensitivity.
The pulsar in this system orbits its companion very closely, separated by about the same distance as the Sun is from the outer edge of the asteroid belt. This rapid orbit of just 3.6 hours is a testament to the intriguing dynamics at play in this system.
The helium star, the companion to the pulsar, may have evolved from a more massive star that lost its outer hydrogen envelope. Helium stars are short-lived, lasting only about 10 million years, making them difficult to observe with a pulsar.
The binary system was formed when the heavier star exploded in a supernova, leaving a neutron star, while the lighter star gradually swelled up. Over the course of about 1,000 years, the companion star's outer layers were blown away due to friction and energy transfer.
This discovery builds on theories about the formation of compact binary pulsar systems. According to leading theories, millisecond pulsars with helium star companions form through binary evolution where a neutron star is spun up by accretion from a companion that is now a helium star.
However, the quick evolutionary timescales of helium stars and the difficulties in explaining how the binary remains bound after supernova mass loss present ongoing theoretical challenges in understanding these systems fully. If a binary system loses more than half its mass, it will become unbound, but the pair in question has remained gravitationally bound.
This discovery of PSR J1928+1815 may help us better understand how binary stars interact, share mass, and evolve into systems with fast-spinning neutron stars. The team that made the discovery has found nearly 770 new pulsars, and they hope to find more interesting objects in the future. With the growing sensitivity of telescopes like FAST, the galaxy may yet reveal more of its secrets.
- The oddity of PSR J1928+1815, a binary system consisting of a millisecond pulsar orbiting a helium star, was discovered using China's FAST telescope, contributing to the ongoing exploration in the field of space and astronomy.
- The pulsar in this system showcases the intriguing dynamics of space as it orbits its helium companion, separated by a distance similar to the Sun and outer asteroid belt.
- The helium star, a companion to the pulsar, may have transformed from a more massive star that shed its hydrogen envelope, offering insights into the transition of stars in the realm of environmental and astronomical science.
- As technology advances, sophisticated telescopes like FAST continue to promise the unveiling of more unusual stellar combinations, positioning us on the cusp of a deeper understanding of the galaxy and the evolution of binary star systems.
