XRISM Makes First-Ever Detection of a Pulsar Feeding from a Companion's Stellar Wind

The XRISM observatory directly observed for the first time how the neutron star GX 301-2 in the BP Crucis system captures ionized gas streaming from the hypergiant Wray 977. The 16-hour observation on Feb. 1, 2025 revealed redshifted absorption lines indicating gas moving at about 540,000 km/h.

• The BP Crucis system lies about 13,000 light-years away in the constellation Crux
• Hypergiant Wray 977 has roughly 40 solar masses
• Pulsar GX 301-2 sweeps its X-ray beam toward Earth every 11 minutes
• Redshifted absorption lines showed plasma moving at about 540,000 km/h