neutron star
Share:
Tweet n. A celestial body having a mass of 1.4 to 2.1 solar masses contained within a radius of only about 10 kilometers (6 miles), formed when a massive star collapses with sufficient energy to force all of its electrons into the nuclei that they orbit, where they react with protons, leaving only neutrons. Neutron stars are powerful sources of radio waves and x-rays. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.