3

  The orbiting massive star  is now in the process of losing its own fuel to the void of space and will likely become a stripped-down supernova itself. Once that happens, it will leave two neutron stars orbiting each other tightly. They'll eventually collide and merge, sending out a flashy kilonova as they die. The researchers reported their findings Feb. 1 in the journal Nature. According to CNN, this cosmic swan dive may take as long as a billion years to develop. However, scientists are excited to study the precursor to a probable kilonova before the explosion occurs. "This system reveals that some neutron stars are formed with only a small supernova kick," study lead author Noel D. Richardson, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, said in the statement. "As we understand the growing population of systems like CPD-29 2176, we will gain insight into how calm some stellar deaths may be and if these stars...