GMRT finds rare pulsar in Messier 80, enabling new tests of general relativity

India's upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope discovered a rare millisecond pulsar in the ancient star cluster Messier 80, offering new opportunities to test Einstein's theory of general relativity. The pulsar, PSR J1617–2258A, spins rapidly and orbits a companion star in a highly eccentric, stretched path, allowing for precise measurements of its mass and gravitational effects. This discovery is the first from an international project and provides a unique laboratory for studying gravity in extreme conditions within a dense stellar environment.