XRISM Observatory Detects Pulsar Feeding From Giant Star Stellar Wind

Astronomers using data from the Japan-led X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission observatory have directly observed a compact neutron star capturing the stellar wind of its companion star. Universe Today reported that the observation marks the first time scientists have directly observed this process, which triggered X-ray flares in the binary system. [1]

According to Universe Today, scientists made the observations in the BP Crucis system, a high-mass X-ray binary located approximately 13,000 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation Crux. The system consists of a primary blue hypergiant star named Wray 977 and a compact companion neutron star known as GX 301-2. [1]

Universe Today noted that Wray 977 contains roughly 40 solar masses and constantly sheds ionized gas from its outer layers. The companion pulsar, GX 301-2, sweeps an X-ray beam toward Earth every 11 minutes as it captures the gas streaming from the hypergiant star. [1]