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Artist's impression of a magnetized, rotating neutron star |
Neutron Stars
The Ultimate Compact: The Phenomenal Physics of Neutron Stars
Neutron Stars
Introduction
Somewhere in the cosmic void where no one can hear you scream, lies a celestial object unlike any other, The Neutron Star, born from the explosive death of a star, these cosmic behemoths pack astronomical amounts of mass into tiny places. Their incredible density makes them one of the most extraordinary objects in the cosmos.
What are Neutron Stars?
Neutron stars are the densest objects in the universe that are not black holes. They have some of the most extreme physics in the universe.
It's almost impossible for us to think that neutron stars carry more matter than is in the sun, rotate hundreds of times a second, and still are smaller than an average city. Surface temperatures on Neutron Stars can reach up to 600,000°C (1,000,000 °F) compared to a measly 5,500°C (10,000 °F) of the Sun.
Neutron Stars are so heavy, that if you took a tablespoon of neutron star matter it would weigh more than a dump truck filled with concrete or in other words, more than a billion tons, good luck trying to bring that on Earth.
How are Neutron Stars formed?
Stars are giant balls of hydrogen; a star's hydrogen fuses into helium releasing energy to withstand the force of gravity.
When a star has sapped the hydrogen fuel inside it at the end of its life and can’t produce enough energy to withstand the force of gravity, the core pulls the matter of the star at the centre at a fourth of the speed of light, and the star goes supernova.
To form a Neutron star, a star at least 8 - 20 times the mass of our sun has to go supernova. When a star goes supernova a lot of the original mass of the star is lost that's why the mass of a neutron star ranges from 1.4 to 2.7 solar masses. A neutron star may only be 10 - 30 km wide.
The maximum possible mass of a neutron star is about 2.7 solar masses because if it was any greater than that, the neutron star would collapse into a Black Hole.
Not all stars that go supernova become neutron stars, if a star is massive enough it may become a black hole. The physics of a Neutron star is so extreme that they are like trying to show off “Hey look at me, I can rotate hundreds of times a second.”
Types of Neutron stars
Though we know very little about these celestial behemoths, There are a few types of neutron stars that we are pretty sure exist.
Magnetars
Magnetars are neutron stars with roughly 1000 times stronger magnetic fields than a normal neutron star, about a trillion times stronger than Earth’s.
Pulsars
Pulsars are Neutron stars that emit beams of electromagnetic radiation from their poles. This makes these neutron stars kinds of space lighthouses rotate and shine light in every direction.
Pulsar + Magnetar
A type of Neutron Star with both Pulsars and Magnetars.
Courtesy NASA
The Death of a Neutron Star
We have discussed how a star dies and forms a neutron star. This is how a Neutron star dies possible deaths of a Neutron Star.
Slow Death
Over millions of years, a neutron star will radiate all the energy left inside it and become a remnant floating in the distant depths of space. These remnants are called Black Dwarfs.
Kilonova
The merge of collision between two Neutron Stars or a Neutron star and a Black Hole, the result of such an explosion is a Black Hole. This may be the origin of heavier elements like gold, uranium, platinum etc.
Conclusion
Neutron stars may be small but are mighty enough to make Superman jealous. There are about 3200 known neutron stars in the Milky Way and some neighbouring galaxies that are part of the local group (galaxies near the milky way).
Neutron stars are truly phenomenal objects that offer us a glimpse into the amazing physics of the universe. These tiny but mighty stars continue to blow scientists around the world, they truly are “the ultimate compact”.