The object was discovered orbiting a rapidly rotating millisecond pulsar located about 40,000 light-years from Earth in the globular cluster NGC 1851.
Simulations show that the most likely scenario for the formation of this unusual system is that it emerges as a binary system consisting of a pulsar and a white dwarf. The white dwarf was then expelled from the system and replaced by a third, unknown object. This third object could be either a supermassive black hole or a supermassive neutron star.
The lead author of the study, Dr. from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. “This is a very exciting discovery,” said Paul Demorest. “It could be a new type of object, or it could be something we already understand, but in a new and unexpected way.”
Astronomers say further study of the object and determining its type could be a major breakthrough in our understanding of the evolution of neutron stars, or black holes.
Source: Ferra
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