Slow-Spinning Neutron Stars

By Dr. Mike Reed

Published November 16, 2023 at 8:45 AM CST

This image presents a beautiful composite of X-rays from Chandra (red, green, and blue) and optical data from Hubble (gold) of Cassiopeia A, the remains of a massive star that exploded in a supernova. Evidence for a bizarre state of matter has been found in the dense core of the star left behind, a so-called neutron star, based on cooling observed over a decade of Chandra observations. The artist's illustration in the inset shows a cutout of the interior of the neutron star where densities increase from the crust (orange) to the core (red) and finally to the region where the "superfluid" exists (inner red ball.)

Astronomer discovers unusually slow neutron stars

Neutron stars are a soup of neutrons; city-sized remnants of supernovae. These ultra-compact stars have immense gravities creating escape velocities over half the speed of light.

Neutron stars rotate at incredible speeds of mere seconds - the fastest spins at a stunning 716 times per second. Recently, Dr. Natasha Hurley Walker discovered two very unusual Neutron stars with rotational periods as slow as twenty-two minutes.

Joins us this week as Mike explains why neutron stars spin so fast and the significance of one spinning slowly.

Astro Brief is a collaboration between KSMU, the Missouri Space Grant, and MSU's Department of Physics, Astronomy and Materials Science. Hosted by Dr. Mike Reed, Astro Brief focuses on astronomical events, the field of astronomy, and astronomy-related guests. It airs Thursdays at 9:45 am on KSMU.