Chapter 1: The Marvel of Neutron Stars

Neutron stars, some of the densest entities in the universe, captivate astronomers with their extraordinary properties. If you were to break one down into sugar cubes, each cube would weigh an astonishing 100 million tons on Earth. Researchers have been delving into these celestial wonders for years, aiming to understand the maximum mass they can hold before succumbing to gravitational collapse into a black hole.

Typically, these stars are about the size of a city and possess a mass roughly 1.4 times that of our Sun. They are formed from the remnants of massive stars that have exploded in supernova events, which eject most of their material into space, leaving behind a dense core that becomes a neutron star. Some of these cores are so incredibly dense that they transition into black holes.

The term "neutron star" emerged in the 1930s, shortly after the neutron was identified. The 1960s saw the consistent detection of radio waves of mysterious origin, initially thought to be signals from extraterrestrial beings, which were later confirmed to be pulsars associated with neutron stars.

When a massive star transitions into a red supergiant and ultimately explodes, it can evolve into one of two types of neutron stars: Pulsars and Magnetars. The former emits a focused beam of radiation, rotating like a lighthouse, while the latter possesses an exceptionally strong magnetic field capable of altering atomic structures.

Astronomers from West Virginia University recently announced a remarkable discovery: the most massive neutron star identified to date. This newly observed star, known as J0740+6620, spans a mere 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) across, yet boasts a mass approximately 2.17 times that of the Sun. The research team utilized the National Science Foundation's Green Bank Telescope to conduct their analysis.

The process of measuring the mass of J0740+6620 proved to be a fascinating challenge. As the neutron star emitted dual radio waves from its magnetic poles, the gravitational influence of its white dwarf companion caused a slight delay in the signals. This delay, measured in millionths of a second, provided astronomers with the necessary data to ascertain the mass of the accompanying white dwarf.

The comprehensive findings from this groundbreaking study were published in Nature Astronomy.

Discover more about the recent breakthroughs in neutron star research through this video titled "We Just Discovered The Most Massive Neutron Star Ever." It delves into the implications of this discovery and what it means for our understanding of astrophysics.

Chapter 2: Insights into Neutron Stars and Their Phenomena

The exploration of neutron stars continues to yield fascinating discoveries.

For an even deeper understanding of neutron stars, pulsars, and magnetars, check out this video compilation titled "Major Discoveries About Neutron Stars, Pulsars and Magnetars." This video summarizes significant findings and insights from the field of astrophysics, enhancing our grasp of these incredible astronomical phenomena.

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