Pulsars and Neutron Stars

Astronomers in the 1960s discovered an entirely new class of celestial objects by observing the sky in wavelengths beyond visible light. These mysterious sources challenged existing understanding of stellar phenomena.

Massive stars, particularly those ten times more massive than our Sun, undergo catastrophic transformation at the end of their hundred-million-year lifetimes. Their deaths create the conditions necessary for neutron star formation.

During core collapse, electrons and protons undergo forced merger under extreme pressure, transforming ordinary atomic matter into neutrons. This process creates stellar corpses called neutron stars, one type among several possible endpoints of stellar evolution.

Neutron stars push every physical parameter to extremes. Hypothetical astronauts landing on one would experience conditions utterly beyond human comprehension, aging only ten months for each Earth year while being instantly spaghettified.

Researchers studying neutron star interiors discovered exotic matter configurations they named nuclear pasta, referencing familiar Italian cuisine. Scientists use names like gnocchi, spaghetti, and lasagna to classify these geometric structures.

Neutron star cores push quantum physics to its limits, creating matter whose structure researchers still struggle to fully describe. Multiple competing hypotheses attempt to model this most mysterious stellar region.

Earth scientists can generate magnetic fields of several dozen tesla, strong enough to levitate objects and even living beings. Neutron stars, especially magnetars, dwarf these achievements by millions of times.

Astronomers, physicists, and even satellite navigation engineers exploit pulsar properties for diverse applications. These stellar remnants serve multiple research communities seeking to understand fundamental physics and practical navigation challenges.