Infant neutron star observed for first time- photo

[Ichingcarpenter]

An infant neutron star, the super-dense core of a stellar explosion, has been observed for the first time. It is the youngest object of its kind ever discovered, having appeared just 330 years ago. The 12.4 mile-wide object has been cloaked in mystery since it was identified as a powerful X-ray source in 1999.




The Cassiopeia A supernova captured by Nasa's Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the neutron star is the blue dot at the centre of the picture

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/6501955/Infant...

[aquart]

1. A swaddling star.

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. But Boy is it Dense for being so young

Old hubble photo of it

[valerief]

2. But does it have a valid birth certificate? nt

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. LOL..... Probably from Cassiopeia, Kenya

These interesting objects are born from once-large stars that grew to four to eight times the size of our own sun before exploding in catastrophic supernovae. After such an explosion blows a star's outer layers into space, the core remains—but it no longer produces nuclear fusion. With no outward pressure from fusion to counterbalance gravity's inward pull, the star condenses and collapses in upon itself.

Despite their small diameters—about 12.5 miles (20 kilometers)—neutron stars boast nearly 1.5 times the mass of our sun, and are thus incredibly dense. Just a sugar cube of neutron star matter would weigh about one hundred million tons on Earth.

A neutron star's almost incomprehensible density causes protons and electrons to combine into neutrons—the process that gives such stars their name. The composition of their cores is unknown, but they may consist of a neutron superfluid or some unknown state of matter.

[Jamastiene]

5. Awwww, it's a baby.

Awwwwww.

[quiet.american]

6. That is so beautiful. nt

[no limit]

7. That's awesome.

[CrispyQ]

8. It's beautiful!

It looks like a fish.

[phasma ex machina]

9. Makes a decent desktop background. Thanks. nt