Astronomers have discovered a "dead star" neutron star is spinning at an incredible 716 times a second, making it the joint fastest-spinning cosmic body ever seen. Not only this, but the neutron star's surface is also erupting with explosions as powerful as detonating atomic bombs.

The team discovered the extreme stellar remnant using NASA's X-ray telescope Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), which is mounted on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS).

The exploding speed demon neutron star in question is part of the binary system 4U 1820-30, which sits in the globular cluster NGC 6624, which is located toward the heart of the Milky Way around 26 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Sagittarius.