• Question: what is the nearest neutron star to us?

    Asked by 08mhook to Evan on 20 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Evan Keane

      Evan Keane answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      The nearest neutron star that we know of (there might be a nearer one we haven’t found yet!) is called PSR J0108-1431 (great name isn’t it!). The name just means that it reaches its highest point in the sky at a time of 01:08 in a time system used by astronomers. The -1431 bit is because if you were at a latitude of -14 degrees on Earth (where Angola is) it would be straight up. The PSR bit is because it is a pulsar.

      This “near” star is more than 400 light years away, so it would take you 400 years to get there travelling at the speed of light (which is the fastest speed it is possible to travel), so it probably only astronomers that would call it “near”!

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