neutron

To Probe the Interior of Neutron Stars, We Must Study the Gravitational Waves from their Collisions

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When massive stars reach the end of their life cycle, they undergo gravitational collapse and shed their outer layers in a massive explosion (a supernova). Whereas particularly massive stars will leave a black hole in their wake, others leave behind a stellar remnant known as a neutron star (or white dwarf). These objects concentrate a … Read more

Gravitational waves could turn colliding neutron stars into ‘cosmic tuning forks’

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The kilonova associated with GW170817 (inset) as observed by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (visible light) and Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) over nine days in August 2017.

Scientists have discovered a new way to probe the interiors of neutron stars by using gravitational waves to turn them into “cosmic tuning forks.” The reverberations of such ripples in spacetime could reveal the interiors of these extreme stellar remains. Born when massive stars die, neutron stars have up to two times the mass of … Read more