Artist's impression of an eccentric binary system of a neutron star and a black hole. The orbit of the neutron star is shown in blue and the motion of the black hole in orange as the two bodies orbit each other. The eccentricity shown here is exaggerated relative to the real system, GW200105, to make the effect on orbital motion more apparent. Credit: Geraint Pratten, Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Birmingham

Artist's impression of an eccentric binary system of a neutron star and a black hole. The orbit of the neutron star is shown in blue and the motion of the black hole in orange as the two bodies orbit each other. The eccentricity shown here is exaggerated relative to the real system, GW200105, to make the effect on orbital motion more apparent. Credit: Geraint Pratten, Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Birmingham

Artist's impression of an eccentric binary system of a neutron star and a black hole. The orbit of the neutron star is shown in blue and the motion of the black hole in orange as the two bodies orbit each other. The eccentricity shown here is exaggerated relative to the real system, GW200105, to make the effect on orbital motion more apparent. Credit: Geraint Pratten, Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Birmingham