neutron stars

[frankm134]

Neutron stars are what remains when a sun goes supernova if it doesn't turn into a black hole, got it? Ok neutron stars have a super thin atmosphere of hot plasma (10cm in fact) the surface of a neutron star is flat with irregularities of about 5mm when we go into the neutron star it is most likely made out of a iron atom lattice but when we get deeper protons and electrons become lesser in number until we arrive at a neuron lattice which no protons or electrons are there (hence the name "neutron star"). Down to the core now, we don't really know what's in the core people have theorized that it contains a super quark gluon plasma which can only exist in such an extreme environment. A neutron star spins very fast, so fast that some form an ellipse shape. Also neutron stars have a very strong magnetic field, and they create strong radio signals so sometimes they are called "pulsars"

[Kerbart]

Just remember that doing a close-range fly-by on a parabolical curve might on paper give you zero-g inside your spacecraft (you're on a ballistic trajectory after all) the close proximity to the neutron star might result in tremendous tidal forces. Even a General Products Hull will not protect you against that.

[Mazon Del]

If you are interested in neutron stars, look into the book called "Dragon's Egg." We send a human crewed ship to a nearby formerly undiscovered neutron star, as we examine it we find that there is life on the surface utilizing a completely different sort of biochemistry to anything we've ever seen. It is a pretty excellent story.

[NeatCrown]

In fact, the rapidly spinning neutron stars are called pulsars, because the radio signal "pulses" as it rotates, from our perspective - hence the name

And a neutron is just a proton and electron "fused" together

"X" = Earth, "O = Pulsar", "-" and "|" = beamed signals

â–‘ â–‘ â–‘â–‘â–‘|â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘/â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘

â–‘ â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘ Oâ–‘ â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘/â–‘â–‘-â–‘---â–‘------O-

â–‘ â–‘ â–‘â–‘â–‘| â–‘ â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘/â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘

â–‘ â–‘ â–‘â–‘â–‘|â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘/â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘

â–‘ â–‘â–‘ â–‘â–‘Xâ–‘ â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘/â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘â–‘Xâ–‘

Us receiving the signals] [us not receiving the signals

Edited December 19, 2014 by NeatCrown

[PB666]

https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-a-neutron-star-29341?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+September+2+2015+-+3334&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+September+2+2015+-+3334+CID_d3b8526069dc40bbd5aed0ec046c4fbb&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Explainer%20what%20is%20a%20neutron%20star

Anatomy of a neutron star, pretty cool graphic

[GeneralVeers]

Science fiction buzzkill incoming.

Neutronium isn't a solid. It's a fluid. And also, at standard temperature and pressure (i.e. the temperature and pressure you, the reader, are feeling right now) neutrons outside of an atomic nucleus are extremely unstable. The heat of decay would cause the mass to explode with extreme violence.

[Kerbart]

Neutronium isn't a solid. It's a fluid.

Given that one wouldn't land on a Neutron star, it doesn't really matter.

"You can't land on a star. It's a gas" Well yeah, that, but the temperature, the gravity... you wouldn't be able to reach the surface anyway!

[GeneralVeers]

Uhhhhh.........you completely lost me there.

Why do you think I said "science fiction" buzzkill? Sci-fi is all about neutronium armored starships. That's been a thing ever since the U.S.S. Enterprise fought against the alien Planet Killer while knock-off Jaws music was playing (that was one scary episode when I was a kid!)

Big surprise, science fiction got it wrong.

[K^2]

Of course you can't build from neutronium. That's what scrith is for.

[Just Jim]

That's been a thing ever since the U.S.S. Enterprise fought against the alien Planet Killer while knock-off Jaws music was playing (that was one scary episode when I was a kid!)

OMG... you mean the Doomsday Machine??? I think I was 6 when I first saw it... accurate or not, back in the day that was my all time favorite episode!!!

[Mazon Del]

To be fair, having a double walled hull filled with neutronium liquid might still be at all useful.

[GeneralVeers]

OMG... you mean the Doomsday Machine??? I think I was 6 when I first saw it... accurate or not, back in the day that was my all time favorite episode!!!

Part of what made that episode more fun as a kid was, I didn't know neutronium was impossible stuff. Therefore suspension of disbelief.

(Seriously, though, for most of that episode, I was yelling at the crew of the two Federation ships to SHOOT TORPEDOES INTO THE PLANET KILLER'S MAW!!)

[Xorth Tanovar]

Of course you can't build from neutronium. That's what scrith is for.

*IF* the Pak will give you the formula for it. Chances are you won't smell right, so you're now a target.

[Thomassino]

This video really explains neutron stars and some stuff about them. I highly recommend watching it