NEUTON STARS

WHY IN NEWS:

Creation of rare heavy elements witnessed in neutron stars

WHAT IS IT?

A neutron star is the collapsed core of a massive supergiant star, which had a total mass of between 10 and 25 solar masses (M_☉), possibly more if the star was especially metal-rich. Except for black holes, neutron stars are the smallest and densest known class of stellar objects.

FORMATION

• Neutron stars are formed when a massive star runs out of fuel and collapses.
• The very central region of the star – the core – collapses, crushing together every proton and electron into a neutron.
• If the core of the collapsing star is between about 1 and 3 solar masses, these newly-created neutrons can stop the collapse, leaving behind a neutron star. (Stars with higher masses will continue to collapse into stellar-mass black holes.)

TYPES

PULSARS

Most neutron stars are observed as pulsars. Pulsars are rotating neutron stars observed to have pulses of radiation at very regular intervals that typically range from milliseconds to seconds.

MAGNETARS

In a magnetar, with its huge magnetic field, movements in the crust cause the neutron star to release a vast amount of energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation.