Binary Star System Made up of Neutron Star and Sun-like Star (IMAGE)
Caption
This illustration depicts a binary star system consisting of a dense neutron star and a normal Sun-like star (upper left). Using data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, astronomers found several systems like this one, in which the two bodies are widely separated. Because the bodies in these systems are far apart, with separations on average 300 times the size of a Sun-like star, the neutron star is dormant—it is not actively stealing mass from its companion and is thus very faint. To find these hidden neutron stars, the scientists used Gaia observations to look for a wobble in the Sun-like stars caused by a tugging action of the orbiting neutron stars. These are the first neutron stars discovered purely due to their gravitational effects.
As depicted in this illustration, the gravity of the compact neutron star—which is about 100,000 times smaller than the Sun-like star—warps our view of the sky around it, producing a distorted mirrored view of the nearby star.
Credit
Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)
Usage Restrictions
No restrictions.
License
CC0