Astronomy Neutron and Black Holes

remnant

object left behind after supernova expansion

neutron star

dense ball f neutrons that remain at star core after supernova explosion. 20 km across with more mass than the sun

lighthouse model

explanation for pulsar region of neutron. a star emits a stead steam of radiation that sweeps past earth

pulsar

objects emitting radiation because rapid pulses in a characteristics period. Flow along magnetic field lines with strong radiation

x ray buster

x-ray source emitting 1000x energy than the sun. neutron stars accrete matte until temperature has reached hydrogen fusion which leads to nuclear burning

millisecond pulsar

neutron star rotates 1000x each second. believed that the star has been spun up by drawing matter from each companion star

general theory of relativity

Einstein's theory that describes gravity as a curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy. It predicts phenomena such as gravitational lensing, black holes, and the expansion of the universe.

space time

concepts of time and 3D space regarded as fused in a 4D continuum

black hole

region of space where gravity is so great that nothing can escape. possible outcome of evolution of a massive star

Schwarzschild radius

distance from the center of a massive object with gravity that is too strong (point where an object would become a black hole)

event horizon

imaginary spherical surface surrounding a collapsing star (cannot be seen or heard)

gravitational redshift

photons lose energy as they escape gravitational field of a large object

time dilation

prediction of theory of relativity. clock lowered into a strong gravitational field would appear to move slow

singularity

density and gravitational field of a star become infinite and laws and physics break down.

supermassive black hole

black hole having a mass equal to a billion times greater than the mass of the sun; usually found in the central nucleus of galaxy