Two-faced star reveals a pulsar’s surprising bulk
An ultramassive pulsar is frying its stellar companion
PICK A SIDE A pulsar (starburst illustrated in lower right) heats just one side of its companion star in this binary system called PSR J2215+5135. The duality helped astronomers weigh the pulsar, and showed it’s one of the most massive ever seen.
G. Pérez-Díaz/IAC