2024-01-18 21:15:00
A vast and dense mass has been detected in our galaxy, researchers report in the journal Science.
It could be the largest neutron star ever observed or the least massive black hole in the universe, scientists point out. One way or another, this finding could have a significant impact on our understanding of the cosmos.
A neutron star forms when a collection of neutrons are held together by gravitational forces. This star is born when the heart of a massive star collapses, leaving small compact residues.
However, a neutron star can collapse by becoming too massive. This phenomenon, which occurs when the celestial body joins with other stars, can lead to the creation of black holes.
Astronomers estimate that a neutron star has 2.2 times the mass of the Sun. Black holes, for their part, are 5 times denser than the Sun. This mass gap between neutron stars and black holes allows scientists to understand how both phenomena form when a star dies.
The evolution of the objects that allow this mass gain is still very little known, which makes this discovery very important, according to astronomers.
Better understand the gap
The unknown object, which is approximately 2.7 times the mass of the Sun, appears to be at the start of this evolution. Even if researchers have difficulty identifying it, they believe that it will allow them to better understand the evolution of the two celestial phenomena.
The mass was discovered 40,000 light years away, among several very dense stars. The latter stood out for its rhythm of rotation which differed from that of the other stars. It was discovered using the MeerKAT Radio Telescope, located in South Africa.
According to information from The Independent
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