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Introduction
Neutron stars are said to be one of the strangest objects in the universe. They are considered one of the densest things known to exist. They rival some black holes, but are not denser than small black holes. They spin at a very fast pace, sometimes hundreds of times per second. They warp space and time. They even generate magnetic fields that are powerful enough to destroy atoms. There is more mass in it than the Sun, even though it is about the size of a city. There are many ways in which neutron stars push physics to the limits. The more they are studied, the stranger they get.
PART 1 — THE DEATH OF A MASSIVE STAR
In order to understand neutron stars, we must first understand how stars die. Stars exist with a balance of pressure pushing outward from nuclear fusion, and the star’s gravity.
The pressure pushing outward from nuclear fusion releases enormous energy. This pushing against gravity makes sure that the star is stable. However, eventually huge stars begin running out of fuel. This weakens the fusion and therefore gravity starts winning. A star such as our Sun will eventually collapse into a white dwarf.
However, for stars bigger than our Sun, the core collapses catastrophically in a supernova explosion. These explosions can sometimes outshine entire galaxies for a brief period of time. Sometimes, after the explosion, the remaining core turns into a neutron star.
PART 2 — WHAT EXACTLY IS A NEUTRON STAR?
The neutron star has more mass than the Sun but is only twelve miles across. It is hard to imagine this kind of density. They say that a teaspoon of neutron star material would weigh billions of tons on Earth. We are in a situation where the protons and electrons are crushed together and forming neutrons. What is left is an enormous atomic nucleus that is held together by gravity.
PART 3 — GRAVITY BEYOND COMPREHENSION
The gravity on a neutron star is extremely strong. Something the size of a cracker hitting a neutron star would strike with an energy equal to an atomic bomb. Since they are so compact, they have a dramatic effect on bending space-time. The closer you are to the star, the slower time moves relative to distant observers.
PART 4 — THE FASTEST SPINNING OBJECTS
When a star collapses, it conserves angular momentum. This leads to the star spinning much faster than it had previously. It would be like something that weighs more than the sun spinning faster than a kitchen blender per rotation.
Ultra rapid spinning neuron stars are known as pulsers. They emit beams of radiation from their magnetic poles. In fact, some pulsars are so precise tha they rival atomic clocks.
PART 5 — MAGNETARS: THE MONSTERS
Some neutron stars have ubelieveably strong magnetic fields. These are known as magnetars. It’s magnetic field can be trillions of times stronger than the Earth’s magnetic field. There are times when magnetars unleash massive bursts of high-energy radiation. These are considered some of the most powerful explosions in the universe. They are still not fully understood.
PART 6 — COLLIDING NEUTRON STARS
There are times when neutron stars orbit each other. This can go on for billions of years until they eventually they collide. This result of this is catastropnic. This type of collision releases gavitational waves, gamma ray burths, and huge amounts of energy.
It wasn’t until 2017 that scientist were able to detect gravitational waves from a neutron star collision. This verified predictions make by Einstein. It was found that these kind of collisions create many elements such as gold, platinum, and uranium. Therefore, some of the most precious metals on Earth may have originated in ancient neutron star collisions.
PART 7 — THE EDGE OF PHYSICS
Neutron stars are in a region that physics becomes uncertain. The inside matter behaves in ways scientists are having trouble to understand. Perhaps there are exotic particles inside them or quark matter. superfluid, and even unknown states of matter. If a neutron star gains too much mass, it can possibly collapse into a black hole.
PART 8 — COULD LIFE EXIST NEAR ONE?
Most likely life couldn’t exist near one. They are incredibly hostile environments. With extreme radiation, gravity, and magnetic fields would destroy any nearby planets. However, there are been disocoveries of planets orbiting pulsars referred to as pulsar planets. It is a mysters to how such worlds survive, but they are probably among the strangest planets in the universe.
PART 9 — WHY NEUTRON STARS CAPTIVATE US
Neutron stars are interesting because they exist at extremes such as they are tiny yet massive, dead yet active, stable but violent, somewhat understood but will mysterious. They present a challenge of our understanding when it comes to gravity, matter, magentism, and space-time ltself.
CONCLUSION
In parts of the galaxy there are ancient neutron stars spinning silently in darkness. Some have a pulse that pulses like a rhythm. There are some that unleash bursts of radiation powerful enough to shape space that is nearby. Some may eventally collapse into black holes where they would cross one final thresholdbeyond visibility. They are the remains of steller death and yet also the creators of new elements, new mysteries, and new scientific dicoveries.
See Also:
Black Holes in Astronomy: The Dark Engines of the Universe
The Theory of Relativity Explained: Why Time Isn’t What You Think
Further Reading (Affiliate Links)
Neutron Stars, Black Holes and Gravitational Waves by James J. Kolata
Pulsar Astronomy by YB -Nayon Publiscation
Black Holes and Time Warps by Kip S. Thorne
Gravity’s Fatal Attraction by Mitchel Begelman
The Life and Death of Stars by Kenneth R. Lang
Supernovae and Nucleosynthesis by David Arnett
Ripples in Spacetime by Govert Schilling
The Perfect Theory by Pedro G. Ferreira
Shapiro and Teukolsky: Black Holes, White Dwarfs, and Neutron Stars by Stuart L. Shapiro and Saul A. Teukolsky
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