Mystery Object Discovered in Milky Way Challenges Astronomical Boundaries

The object, heavier than the heaviest known neutron star and lighter than the lightest known black hole, could redefine our understanding of stellar remnants.

Astronomers have discovered a mystery object in the Milky Way that is more massive than the heaviest neutron star but lighter than the smallest black hole.
The object was discovered using the MeerKAT Radio Telescope, orbiting a rapidly spinning neutron star located around 40,000 light-years away within a dense clump of stars called a 'globular cluster'.
The object has more mass than any known neutron star but less than any known black hole, landing it right in the black hole mass gap.
The discovery could help scientists better determine where to draw the dividing line between neutron stars and black holes.
Uncovering the true nature of the companion will be a turning point in our understanding of neutron stars, black holes, and whatever else might be lurking in the black hole mass gap.