The world of neutron stars
Chapter 1
The birth of cosmic monsters
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Chapter 2
Pulsars and the cosmic lighthouse
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Chapter 3
Magnetars and magnetic monsters
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Chapter 4
Cosmic collisions and gold mines
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Chapter 5
Mapping the universe with pulsars
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YOUR GOAL
Master of The world of neutron stars
Ch 4 · Cosmic collisions and gold mines
teacher Two colliding neutron stars spark a kilonova bright, Forging oceans of pure gold in the deep cosmic night.
Fun Fact
Cosmic gold: Nearly all the gold in your jewelry was likely forged in a violent collision between two neutron stars.
Glossary
kilonova (noun)
A powerful stellar explosion that occurs when two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole merge. On August 17, 2017, telescopes detected this type of explosion, which forged massive quantities of gold.
A powerful stellar explosion that occurs when two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole merge. On August 17, 2017, telescopes detected this type of explosion, which forged massive quantities of gold.
Quiz
What is the maximum mass a neutron star can typically have before collapsing into a black hole?
Quiz
What is the name of the gravitational wave event detected from a neutron star merger in 2017?
Quiz
In what year did scientists first detect gravitational waves from a neutron star merger?