China's fast telescope discovers rare 3-star system PSR J0435+3233
China's giant FAST telescope has spotted something pretty wild in space, a rare trio of stars called PSR J0435+3233.
This system features a pulsar, a white dwarf, and a sunlike star, all at different life stages.
The discovery, confirmed by Chinese and European scientists, was published on October 9, 2026.
Third star's gravity explains pulsar slowdown
The find started when astronomers noticed the pulsar slowing down way faster than usual, about 100 times faster than others like it.
Digging deeper with radio, optical, infrared, and gamma-ray tools, they realized a third star's gravity was behind the weird timing.
Turns out, the pulsar and white dwarf orbit each other every eight days while the sunlike star takes about 73.5 years to complete its loop.
This unique setup could help scientists test big ideas about gravity and learn more about how stars evolve.