5 things you didn’t know about Neutron Star 

On a clear night, you can see millions of twinkling stars scattered across the horizon. Stars are fascinating, right? But there are many intriguing facts about stars. Have you heard about a neutron star?  

Well, neutron stars are pretty small compared to other stars in the galaxy. There are about 100 million neutron stars in the Milky Way! The stars weigh 1.5 times more than the sun despite their small size! Neutron stars are formed because of supernova explosions. Supernovae are large luminous stars. All stars go through phases during their entire life. When they reach their last stage, they explode. So, just when a neutron is about to get formed, it emits a tremendous amount of energy in the form of neutrinos. But what are neutrinos? All the matter in the world is composed of an equal number of neutrons and protons. However, in the case of a neutron star, most of the protons get converted to neutrons. A neutron star contains about 95% neutrons. When the protons are converted to neutrons, they release small particles called neutrinos. These particles are packed with energy!  

Now that you know how neutron stars are formed, let us uncover the mysteries about them! 

Neutron stars are 10 billion Kelvin hot 
Studies suggest that the temperature inside a neutron star is around 10 billion Kelvins. A neutron star might be extremely hot, but it also cools down quickly. This is because a neutron star releases so much energy that the internal heat is carried outside. This is how a neutron star cools down so quickly. But even this takes a few years! If a neutron star gets close to any planet, it would burn the planet!  

Life would be two-dimensional on a neutron star  
Even though life does not exist on a neutron star, it would be two-dimensional if it did. Are you wondering how? Well, the answer is gravitational force! Gravity is strong enough to flatten anything on the surface where it is acting. Therefore, scientists believe that if life existed on a neutron star, it would be flat, two-dimensional, like a drawing on a paper! Everything about a neutron star is extreme and crazy, right? 

Time passes faster on a neutron star 
There is a huge difference between the gravitational force existing on Earth and on a neutron star. Because of this, if two identical clocks were placed on them, the difference in time would also be significant! For example, eight years on a neutron star will equal 10 years on Earth! This is called time dilation! It is the difference in time passed due to varying gravitational forces between the Earth and any extra-terrestrial body.  

A neutron star could destroy our solar system 
Science fiction movies often describe what could happen if an extra-terrestrial (something not from Earth) object hit the Earth or entered our solar system. The result is always the destruction and extinction of all life! But is this true? Well, if a neutron star ever enters our solar system or gets close to Earth, it would create havoc! Neutron stars entering our solar system could throw planets off their orbits. If they even come close to Earth, they could lead to tides high enough that rip the whole world apart! This is because of the strong magnetic field and gravitation force they exert. The good news is the closest known neutron star is about 500 light-years away. So, you do not have to worry about such catastrophic events occurring any time soon!