PSR J1141−6545 is a pulsar in the constellation of Musca (the fly).[2] Located at 11h 41m 07.02s −65° 45′ 19.1″, it is a binary pair composed of a white dwarf star orbiting a pulsar.
[3][4][5] Because of this unusual configuration and the close proximity of the two stars it has been used to test several of Einstein's theories.[4][6][7]
PSR J1141−6545 is notable because it has shown several relativistic theories to have real-world results. The star is emitting gravitational waves and the process of time dilation appears to be affecting the orbit of the white dwarf. In January 2020 it was announced that the stars were also showing the Lense-Thirring effect,[8] whereby a rotating mass drags the surrounding spacetime with it.[9]
References[edit]
^ abcdBailes, M.; Ord, S. M.; Knight, H. S.; Hotan, A. W. (2003). "Self-Consistency of Relativistic Observables with General Relativity in the White Dwarf-Neutron Star Binary PSR J1141-6545". The Astrophysical Journal. 595 (1): L49–L52. arXiv:astro-ph/0307468. Bibcode:2003ApJ...595L..49B. doi:10.1086/378939. S2CID 119435865.
^Antoniadis, J.; Bassa, C. G.; Wex, N.; Kramer, M.; Napiwotzki, R. (2011). "A white dwarf companion to the relativistic pulsar PSR J1141-6545". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 412 (1): 580–584. arXiv:1011.0926. Bibcode:2011MNRAS.412..580A. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.17929.x. S2CID 12323803.
^Krishnan, V. Venkatraman; Bailes, M.; van Straten, W.; Wex, N.; Freire, P. C. C.; Keane, E. F.; Tauris, T. M.; Rosado, P. A.; Bhat, N. D. R.; Flynn, C.; Jameson, A.; Osłowski, S. (30 January 2020). "Lense–Thirring frame dragging induced by a fast-rotating white dwarf in a binary pulsar system". Science. 367 (6477): 577–580. arXiv:2001.11405. Bibcode:2020Sci...367..577V. doi:10.1126/science.aax7007. PMID 32001656. S2CID 210966295.