neutron star

noun

1. an extremely dense, compact star composed primarily of neutrons, especially the collapsed core of a supernova.

neutron star

noun

1. a star that has collapsed under its own gravity to a diameter of about 10 to 15 km. It is composed mostly of neutrons, has a mass of between 1.4 and about 3 times that of the sun, and a density in excess of 10 ¹⁷kilograms per cubic metre

neutron star

1. A celestial object consisting of an extremely dense mass of neutrons, formed at the core of a supernova, where electrons and nuclei are compressed together so intensely by the force of gravity that protons and electrons merge together into neutrons. Though their mass is close to that of the Sun, the density of neutron stars is much higher—about 3 × 10 ¹¹ kilograms per cubic centimeter (by comparison, the density of steel is 7.7 grams per cubic centimeter). Neutron stars are typically about 10 km across, and rotate very rapidly. Due to the spinning of electrically charged protons and electrons at their surfaces, their rotation gives rise to strong magnetic fields. The existence of neutron stars was predicted in the 1930s but was not confirmed until the discovery of the first pulsar in 1967.
2. See more at pulsar

neutron star

1. A star about the size of the Earth , made almost entirely of neutrons . It is the end product of the evolution of some stars larger than the sun .

Word History and Origins

Origin of neutron star¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Then one of these unusual neutron stars flashed in a nearby galaxy.

From Science News For Students

In 1974, radio astronomers Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor spotted a neutron star orbiting a dense companion.

From Science News

At first, astronomers thought that the blast was a type of cataclysmic explosion called a short gamma-ray burst, or GRB, which are typically caused by colliding neutron stars or other destructive cosmic events.

From Science News

Astronomers concluded that a highly magnetized neutron star called a magnetar was behind the phenomenon.

From Quanta Magazine

These included spinning neutron stars, known as called pulsars.

From Science News For Students

While every neutron star has an intense magnetic field, the ones known as magnetars are exceptional.

From The Daily Beast

The pulses are from a beam of light produced by the intense magnetic field, which sweeps across Earth as the neutron star rotates.

From The Daily Beast

That extra spin in the progenitor star might have been enough to give the neutron star more magnetic power, making it a magnetar.

From The Daily Beast