The Beauty of a Neutron Star
Aurora Dorigo
Published: 27/03/2024
Neutron stars are an amazing discovery in the universe. What are they? They're the leftovers of huge stars that exploded (1). Despite being small, more or less the size of a city, they are very heavy due to the mass of the star they previously were being condensed inside them. Their weight causes unusual events to happen around them.
As I said previously, neutron stars are small in size, but they shine very very bright in the universe with their unique appearances. From the Earth, they might not seem like much, just tiny dots in the vastness of space, like normal stars. But up close, they reveal their mesmerizing features.
1. These explosions are called supernova: when a stars runs out of nuclear fuel, its core collapses under intense gravity, and it explodes creating a neutron star.
2. The gravitational field of a neutron star's surface is at around 2.0×10^12 m/s^2
One cool thing about neutron stars is their powerful gravity (2). It bends light and pulls in nearby objects and matter to form disks that give off X-rays and gamma rays, creating light. Neutron stars also have super-strong magnetic fields. These fields act like lighthouses, beaming out light as they spin.
Due to the intense pressure and density in these stars, Protons and electrons get pressed together to form neutrons in a material called neutronium. This, after being analyzed by specialized scientists, helps us understand how stuff acts in extreme conditions in the universe.
Scientists use special tools, like telescopes and detectors, to study the light from these stars. They also use extremely complicated math and computer simulations to learn how they act.
The surfaces of neutron stars can be rocky and uneven with mountains and hills, formed during their violent creation. A mesmerizing thing about them is the light beams (3) coming from their poles. These stars emit powerful radiation that lights up the space with bright colors.
Another very captivating feature about neutron stars is their accretion disks, just like black holes have. These rings of matter, pulled in by the star's intense gravity, look like whirlpools or spiral galaxies. As the stuff gets pulled in, it gets hot and sends out light, creating a dazzling show of energy.
Sometimes, neutron stars are not by themselves. They might be part of a binary system, orbiting around another neutron star. In such cases, they might appear as part of a stunning celestial couple, each star complementing the other in a cosmic ballet.
In the end, neutron stars are not just amazing to look at, but they also teach us a lot about the universe. Their gravity, magnetic fields, and strange conditions keep scientists and space fans wondering about the other fantastic things of space.
3.These are called pulsar beams
Bibliography
“Imagine the Universe!” NASA, NASA, Mar. 2017, imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/objects/neutron_stars1.html#:~:text=Neutron%20stars%20are%20formed%20when,and%20electron%20into%20a%20neutron
Vecker, Tobias, and Colin Stuart. “Neutron Stars Explained.” BBC Sky at Night Magazine, 5 Oct. 2023, www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/neutron-star
“Neutron Stars & How They Cause Gravitational Waves.” Science, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/neutron-stars Accessed 26 Mar. 2024