Astronomers have discovered an extremely fast-spinning neutron star, 26,000 light-years away, that releases bursts of energy as powerful as atomic bombs.

Using NASA’s NICER telescope, they observed the neutron star, which completes 716 rotations per second, pulling material from its companion white dwarf star.

This interaction causes powerful thermonuclear bursts, making the neutron star up to 100,000 times brighter than the Sun.

The star system, part of the 4U 1820-30 X-ray binary, features the shortest orbital period known for a binary system, Gizmodo has reported.

This discovery provides new insights into the life cycles of binary star systems and the formation of elements in the universe.

Written by B.C. Begley