What color are neutron stars???

Question

Thanks again

Answer 1

Neutron stars are incredibly hot (1 million K or so), which means that its peak of radiation occurs in the x-ray part of the spectrum. Our eyes can't see x-rays, so we would see only the "tail" of a neutron star's radiation curve. But that tail would still radiate strongly across the visible spectrum.

When I compared the black-body spectrum for a neutron star against the eye's sensitivity curve, I found it was similar to the Sun's, but shifted toward the blue end of the spectrum. So the neutron star would appear blue-white to the human eye.

Answer 2

Thomas, this is a great question. Are you thinking about being an astronomer?

I make the assumption that what you have in mind is an old neutron star that has been around for a very long time, and one that doesn't have either a nearby companion, or an accretion disk dropping matter onto its surface. Younger neutron stars will glow with heat, and those with nearby companions and/or accretion disks have "hot spots" where the matter crashes to the surface and is crushed tightly enough to ignite through fusion.

So, here we are on the old, cold standard neutron star, and it doesn't have a color. This is an odd thing to imagine because you can see it, indeed, you can examine its surface through its atmosphere (yes, it has an atmosphere!) that is, say, 2 or 3 centimeters deep. You will see a surface much like the north pole: cracks and fissures the result of a magnetic field many, many billions of times stronger than the earth; but the cracks and fissures are only millimeters wide and high! The neutron star undergoes star quakes that can release gigawatts of power, and yet cause no more than ripples on the surface. But there is no color.

Why?

Because there are no (or very few) electrons. It is electrons interacting with light that makes for color, and neutron stars do not have them. The neutron star is so dense and with a gravitational field so intense that electrons and protons are fused together. So, no electrons, no color. Yet, the star is visible! How odd is that?

HTH

Charles

Answer 3

I don't think they emit any visible wavelength to talk of color like Red Giants and White Dwarfs. They emit a lot of radiation in very high energy bands.

Answer 4

They wouldn't really have a "color" since that is a function of the rods and cones in your eye.... wave lengths, however would be more accurate. And in that case, radiation. This is something you cannot see.

Answer 5

the same as regular i Gus