Neutron Stars Formation and Composition

Formation of Neutron Stars

• Neutron stars form from the remnants of stars with masses between 8 to 20 times that of the Sun after a supernova explosion.
• Following the explosion, a core remains with a mass approximately 1.4 times that of the Sun.

Composition of Neutron Stars

• The core primarily consists of neutrons, along with some free protons and electrons.
• A crust of highly-compressed conventional matter exists above the core.

Formation of Neutrons

• Intense gravitational forces in the core post-supernova lead to the merging of protons and electrons, resulting in neutron formation.

Neutronium

• The material that composes a neutron star is referred to as neutronium.

Size of Neutron Stars

• Neutron stars typically have a diameter of about 20 kilometers.

Gravitational Strength

• The gravity on the surface of a neutron star is approximately 100 billion times stronger than that of Earth.

Effects on Humans

• A human placed on the surface of a neutron star would be compressed to a thickness of just a few atoms and would weigh hundreds of trillions of pounds.

Rotation of Neutron Stars

• Neutron stars rotate rapidly due to their extreme density, which enhances centrifugal forces similar to an ice skater spinning.

Magnetic Field Generation

• The rapid rotation of neutron stars creates a strong magnetic field.

Pulsars

• Pulsars are neutron stars emitting rotating beams of light energy, which are detectable at regular intervals by observers on Earth.

Not All Neutron Stars are Pulsars

• While all neutron stars emit beams of light, only those with beams aligned towards Earth are classified as pulsars.

Magnetars

• Magnetars are a type of neutron star distinguished by their extraordinarily strong magnetic fields, making them the most magnetic entities in the universe.