Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of astrophysics, identifying a binary star system that includes a millisecond pulsar and a helium star companion. The research team, affiliated with several institutions in China, has published their findings in the journal Science.
The study began when researchers spotted a millisecond pulsar in 2020, which is known for spinning incredibly fast – at least 100 times per second. Further observations revealed that the radiation emissions from the pulsar were blocked for one-sixth of its orbit, suggesting an object was passing between it and Earth.
Using data from the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope, the team detected a helium star companion approximately 1-1.6 times the mass of the sun. The discovery may mark the first observation of a pulsar gravitationally bound to a helium companion star.
The researchers suggest that the helium star was once a hydrogen-rich object but was stripped away by its pulsar companion, forming a common envelope. This phenomenon explains why the two stars are so close together, approximately 50 times closer than Mercury is to the sun, and have short orbital paths of just 3.6 hours.
This remarkable discovery provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics between binary star systems and offers new opportunities for astronomical research.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-05-binary-star-millisecond-pulsar-helium.html