Neutron star

A neutron star is a type of compact star that can result from the gravitational collapse of a massive star after a supernova. Neutron stars are the densest and smallest stars known to exist in the Universe; with a radius of only about 11–11.5 km (7 miles), they can have a mass of about twice that of the Sun.

Neutron stars are composed almost entirely of neutrons, which are subatomic particles with no net electrical charge and with slightly larger mass than protons. Neutron stars are very hot and are supported against further collapse by quantum degeneracy pressure due to the phenomenon described by the Pauli exclusion principle, which states that no two neutrons (or any other fermionic particles) can occupy the same place and quantum state simultaneously.

A neutron star has a mass of at least 1.1 and perhaps up to 3 solar masses (M_☉), though the highest observed mass is 2.01 M_☉. Neutron stars typically have a surface temperature around 7005600000000000000♠6×10⁵ K. Neutron stars have overall densities of 7017370000000000000♠3.7×10¹⁷ to 7017590000000000000♠5.9×10¹⁷ kg/m³ (7014260000000000000♠2.6×10¹⁴ to 7014409999999999999♠4.1×10¹⁴ times the density of the Sun), which is comparable to the approximate density of an atomic nucleus of 7017300000000000000♠3×10¹⁷ kg/m³. The neutron star's density varies from below 7009100000000000000♠1×10⁹ kg/m³ in the crust—increasing with depth—to above 7017600000000000000♠6×10¹⁷ or 7017800000000000000♠8×10¹⁷ kg/m³ deeper inside (denser than an atomic nucleus). A normal-sized matchbox containing neutron-star material would have a mass of approximately 5 trillion tons or 1000 km³ of Earth rock.

Neutron Star (short story collection)

Neutron Star is a collection of science fiction short stories by Larry Niven, published in April 1968. The individual stories had been published in the science fiction magazine If in 1966–1967, under Frederik Pohl as editor.

Contents

The book contains the following eight stories.

All stories are situated in Niven's Known Space universe.

References

Neutron Star (short story)

"Neutron Star" is an English language science fiction short story written by Larry Niven. It was originally published in the August 1966 issue (Issue 107, Vol 16, No 10) of Worlds of If. It was later reprinted in Neutron Star (New York: Ballantine, 1968, pp. 9-28, ISBN 0-345-29665-6) and Crashlander (New York: Ballantine, 1994, pp. 8-28, ISBN 0-345-38168-8). The story is set in Niven's fictional Known Space universe. It is notable for including a neutron star before their (then hypothetical) existence was widely known.

"Neutron Star" is the first to feature Beowulf Shaeffer, the ne'er-do-well ex-pilot and reluctant hero of many of Niven's Known Space stories. It also marked the first appearance of the nearly indestructible General Products starship hull, as well as its creators the Pierson's Puppeteers. The star itself, BVS-1, is featured in the novel Protector (1973), where it is named "Phssthpok's Star". A prelude to the story is also included in the novel Juggler of Worlds.