Science

A likely supermassive neutron star might shed light on the mass gap between neutron stars and black holes

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Briefings

Astronomers using LAMOST and APOGEE data identified a red giant star with an unseen binary companion, revealing gravitational effects on the star. This discovery helps investigate the mass gap between neutron stars and black holes, though the companion remains invisible and its nature is uncertain.

Key points

• A red giant star was identified with an unseen binary companion detected via gravitational effects on the star.
• The companion object is too faint to be observed directly, but its gravitational influence on the red giant star was measurable.

Context

This finding contributes to understanding the mass gap between neutron stars and black holes, a critical area in astrophysics where the boundaries between these two states of matter remain poorly defined.

Limitations

The companion object cannot be observed visually due to its faintness, and its exact nature remains uncertain. Data sources are limited to LAMOST and APOGEE, and the study relies on gravitational effects rather than direct imaging.

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