Neutron Star Spins at Blistering 716 Rotations Per Second

Astronomers have discovered 4U 1820-30, a neutron star zipping at an astonishing 716 rotations per second, making it one of the Milky Way’s fastest-spinning objects. Situated 26,000 light-years away in Sagittarius, it pairs with an Earth-sized white dwarf orbiting every 11 minutes—the shortest known period for such systems. Detected by NASA’s NICER telescope on the ISS, its explosive thermonuclear bursts shine 100,000 times brighter than the Sun, challenging our understanding of neutron star limits and igniting cosmic curiosity.