Overview

• A high-mass compact binary star system, consisting of two white dwarfs, has been identified 150 light-years from Earth.
• The stars, with a combined mass 1.56 times that of the sun, are orbiting each other at a distance of one-sixtieth of the Earth-Sun distance.
• Their current 14-hour orbital period will shrink over time, leading to a collision and a type 1a supernova in approximately 23 billion years.
• This discovery, published in Nature Astronomy, highlights the potential prevalence of similar systems in the galaxy.
• The research, led by an international team including the University of Warwick, underscores the importance of collaborative efforts and advanced observational techniques in astrophysics.