A Pair of Dead Stars Locked in a Six-Minute Orbit, Rapidly Spiraling Inward

An international team led by Indian astronomers, headed by Dr. Rahul Sharma and Prof. Chandreyee Maitra of IUCAA, Pune, has identified a binary white‑dwarf system designated eRASSU J0608 (eRASSU J060839.5–704014). The two dead stars orbit each other every six minutes and their orbit is shrinking faster than any similar known system, indicating strong gravitational‑wave emission. Using data from the Chinese‑led Einstein Probe, NASA’s NICER, and earlier XMM‑Newton observations over 3.5 years, the team measured an orbital‑decay rate exceeding that of HM Cnc and V407 Vul and estimated a chirp mass of ~0.43 M☉. The system’s predictable gravitational‑wave signal makes it a promising target for ESA’s upcoming LISA mission.