ARECIBO, Puerto Rico, Jan. 15 Astronomers at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico have discovered neutron stars can be much more massive than previously believed.
"The matter at the center of a neutron star is highly incompressible. Our new measurements of the mass of neutron stars will help nuclear physicists understand the properties of super-dense matter," said astronomer Paulo Freire. "It also means that to form a black hole, more mass is needed than previously thought. Thus, in our universe, black holes might be more rare and neutron stars slightly more abundant."
Astronomers had thought neutron stars needed between 1.6 and 2.5 times the mass of the sun in order to collapse and become black holes. However, the new research shows neutron stars remain neutron stars between the mass of 1.9 and up to possibly 2.7 suns.
Freire presented the research last week in Austin, Texas, during the national meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
The Arecibo Observatory is managed by Cornell University for the National Science Foundation.
Copyright 2008 by UPI
