Science Simplified: What Is a Neutron Star?

What Is a Neutron Star?
Besides black holes, neutron stars are among the most baffling objects in the Universe.

A neutron star is formed in the last moments of the life of a very large star (with more than about eight times the mass as our Sun), when the nuclear fuel in its core eventually runs out. In a sudden and violent end, the outer layers of the star are ejected with monstrous energy in a supernova explosion, leaving behind spectacular clouds of interstellar material rich in dust and heavy metals. At the center of the cloud (nebula), the dense stellar core further contracts to form a neutron star. A black hole can also form when the remaining core’s mass is greater than about three solar masses.