X-ray image of Circinus X-1 shows that the beautiful bullseye light echoes hint that this neutron star is farther, brighter, and is more like a black hole.

The Circinus X-1 is located in the constellation Circinus, and is twice as far away as we thought it was, meaning it's much brighter

The main focus is on data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory remapped on a color-scale to be visible to our eyes, with optical sky survey data providing layers of stars for context.

The major focus is on a double system of a neutron star and a massive mundane companion star, smothered in the gas and dust.

As per experts, the neutron star has managed to hold the gas and dust on to its companion after the violent supernova explosion that produced the surrounding shrapnel of the dust and debris is just the first of many strange things about Circinus X-1.

Researchers studying the star said when the neutron star is in Circinus X-1, it pulsed with a particularly bright flare.

Circinus X-1 produced a whole series of light echoes, an electromagnetic analogue to sound echoes with light bouncing through clouds of dust and gas instead of off hard walls.

Each ring is an echo of light from the original star ricocheting off an intervening cloud, said researchers. The echoes of radio light mark the distance from Earth to each cloud, while X-ray data indicated down the distance from the clouds to the binary star system.

The ring, which is closer to earth, appears to be larger. Its outermost ring (A) is from light bouncing around a cloud 41 lightyears away from the source. Ring (B) at 49 lightyears, 55 lightyears (ring C), and 52 lightyears (ring D) away.

By analyzing the echoes, comparing observations from the Mopra radio telescope from before and after the pulse, and doing a bit of fiddly geometry, astronomers determined Circinus X-1 is 30,700 lightyears from Earth.