Dr Marta Burgay PhD is a radio astronomer whose initial claim to fame was being the discoverer of PSR J0737-3039, the first binary pulsar (two pulsars orbiting each other), through using the 64 metre Parkes radio telescope in Australia.

J0737–3039

The pair PSR J0737-3039 are only some 800,000 km apart, or about twice the distance between the Earth and Moon. The two object orbit each other at 300 kilometers per second (670,000 miles per hour), completing an orbit every 2.4 hours.

Einstein's relativity effects can be observed using the unique (as in, the only one yet observed) characteristics of the pair and their geometry with respect to Earth (as Earth is looking almost directly in line with the plane of rotation of the pulsars.)

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