What is a Neutron Star?

Quick link to canned interview in Spanish with Diego Altamirano: Principal Research Fellow, University of Southampton.Quick link to associated B-ROLL for live shots. Canned interview in Spanish with Diego Altamirano: Principal Research Fellow, University of Southampton. TRT 7:40:20 B-Roll for NICER Live shots. NASA Telescope Unlocks Clues to One of the Strangest Objects in the UniverseHave you ever wondered what it might be like inside a star that's twice as massive as the Sun, but only the size of a city? Thanks to observations from a NASA telescope, astronomers are now closer to understanding one of the hardest-to-reach places in the universe: the inner core of a star on the verge of becoming a black hole. These are neutron stars, a black hole’s smaller cousin and the leftovers of an exploded massive star. These objects seem to defy the laws of physics - they pack more mass than the Sun into something the size of a city, producing some of the most intense conditions known to exist. And, unlike black holes, we can actually see them.These cosmic monsters are some of the most extreme objects known in the universe. Scientists recently studied the most massive neutron star discovered, which has more than twice the Sun’s mass but is only about 16 miles across – that’s not much bigger than Manhattan Island! Scientists are unsure how matter, the material that makes up everything we can see and touch, behaves in neutron stars' mysterious interiors, which are home to conditions we can't recreate on Earth. Thanks to NASA's NICERtelescope, which collects data from its perch on the International Space Station, scientists are now a step closer to understanding these strange objects, which could harbor clues to how our universe works.Chat one-on-one with NASA experts and members of the NICER team on Friday, April 30 from 6:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. EDT to tell your viewers about these bizarre cosmic objects To Schedule an interview: Please fill out this form** https://forms.gle/StUsX8aPXwTcKGHM7Suggested Anchor intro: Have you ever wondered what it's like inside something that's about to become a black hole? Astronomers now have a better idea thanks to NASA's NICER telescope on the International Space Station, which they use to study neutron stars, objects on the threshold of collapsing into black holes. Joining us today is NICER team member *NAME* to tell us more.Suggested questions:What is the difference between a black hole and a neutron star?Why do we study neutron stars? How do we study neutron stars?Which do you think is cooler, black holes or neutron stars?Where can our viewers go to learn more about neutron stars and NICER?Questions for longer interviews:What does matter look like inside a neutron star?Why is NICER on the International Space Station?What’s next for NICER?Will our Sun become a neutron star?Can we see any neutron stars in the night sky? Related pages

Music Credit: KillerTracks, Strange Reality (KOK2310-11) This GIF shows NICER being extracted from the SpaceX Dragon trunk on June 11, 2017. Several cameras on the International Space Station (ISS) have eyes on NICER. Since arriving to the space station on June 5 – aboard SpaceX’s eleventh cargo resupply mission – NICER underwent robotic installation on ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 2, initial deployment, precise point tests and more. This video shows segments of NICER’s time in space. Scientists and engineers will continue to watch NICER, using these cameras, throughout the mission’s science operations. For More InformationSee [https://www.nasa.gov/nicer/](https://www.nasa.gov/nicer/) Related pages

Music credit: Killer Tracks, Shifting Reality The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload, destined for the exterior of the space station, will study the physics of neutron stars, providing new insight into their nature and behavior. These stars are called “pulsars” because of the unique way they emit light – in a beam similar to a lighthouse beacon. As the star spins, the light sweeps past us, making it appear as if the star is pulsing. Neutron stars emit X-ray radiation, enabling the NICER technology to observe and record information about their structure, dynamics and energetics. The payload also includes a technology demonstration called the Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT) which will help researchers to develop a pulsar-based space navigation system. Pulsar navigation could work similarly to GPS on Earth, providing precise position and time for spacecraft throughout the solar system.The 2-in-1 mission launched on June 3, 2017 aboard SpaceX's eleventh contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station. The payload arrived at the space station in the Dragon spacecraft, along with other cargo, on June 5, 2017. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/nicer) Related pages

Wide angle view and zoom in of the NICER payload onboard the International Space Station. High resolution (wide angle) animated still image of the NICER payload aboard the International Space Station. Close up "beauty pass" of the NICER payload onboard the International Space Station. High resolution (close up) animated still images of the NICER payload aboard the International Space Station. Turntable of the NICER payload. The animation calls out locations of the payload’s star tracker camera, electronics, International Space Station attachment mechanism, 56 sunshields, pointing actuators and stow/deploy actuator. Animated video and stills of the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) payload. For More InformationSee [https://www.nasa.gov/nicer](https://www.nasa.gov/nicer) Related pages

A neutron star begins its life as a star between about 7 and 20 times the mass of the sun. When this type of star runs out of fuel, it collapses under its own weight, crushing its core and triggering a supernova explosion. What remains is an ultra-dense sphere only about the size of a city across, but with up to twice the mass of the sun squeezed inside. This animation shows the size and scale of a neutron star over San Francisco. Neutron stars squeeze up to two solar masses into a city-size volume, giving rise to the highest stable densities known anywhere. The nature of matter under these conditions is a decades-old unsolved problem. This stylized animation shows the structure of a neutron star. The states of matter at neutron stars' inner cores remains a mystery.NICER will confront nuclear physics theory with unique measurements, exploring the exotic states of matter within neutron stars through rotation-resolved X-ray spectroscopy. Animation of a spinning neutron star in space. Neutron stars are directly observable, usually as “pulsars” – the lighthouses of the cosmos. The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission will study neutron stars, the densest known objects in the cosmos. These neutron star animations and graphics highlight some of their unique characteristics.For more information about NICER visit: nasa.gov/nicer. For More InformationSee [https://www.nasa.gov/nicer/](https://www.nasa.gov/nicer/) Related pages

The NICER payload, ready for flight, on a dolly in a clean-tent at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The payload, delivered two weeks ahead of schedule, undergoes monthly functional tests while it awaits launch on the 11th SpaceX commercial resupply mission (CRS-11) to the International Space Station.Credit: NASA Goddard/Keith Gendreau The b-roll package includes video footage taken throughout the NICER mission, including lab work, payload engineering and testing. The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission was built and tested at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.In addition to NASA Goddard scientists and engineers, the mission team includes the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and commercial partners, who provided spaceflight hardware. For More InformationSee [https://www.nasa.gov/nicer](https://www.nasa.gov/nicer) Related pages