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China's FAST Telescope Uncovers Rare Three-Star System After Bizarre Cosmic Signal
M
Moneycontrol•11-10-2026, 13:24
China's FAST Telescope Uncovers Rare Three-Star System After Bizarre Cosmic Signal
- •Astronomers discovered a rare three-star system named PSR J0435+3233 using China's FAST radio telescope after investigating a puzzling signal from a neutron star.
- •The unique system contains a rapidly spinning pulsar, a dense white dwarf, and an evolving Sun-like star at different stages of stellar evolution.
- •Initial observations showed the pulsar was slowing down much faster than comparable stars, a mystery solved when researchers found the gravitational pull of a third star.
- •The inner pulsar and white dwarf orbit every eight days, while the outer Sun-like star takes about 73.5 years to complete one wide revolution.
- •The system serves as a natural laboratory to test fundamental theories of gravity and understand stellar evolution in complex environments.
Key Questions Answered
The system includes a rapidly rotating pulsar, a dense white dwarf, and a Sun-like star that is still evolving.
The pulsar appeared to be slowing down around 100 times faster than comparable millisecond pulsars, a puzzle solved when researchers identified a third star whose gravitational pull affected the timing signal.
The pulsar and white dwarf orbit their shared center of mass every eight days, while the outer Sun-like star follows a much wider, elongated orbit that takes about 73.5 years to complete.
