How old is a neutron star?

Neutron stars are only detectable with modern technology during the earliest stages of their lives (almost always less than 1 million years) and are vastly outnumbered by older neutron stars that would only be detectable through their blackbody radiation and gravitational effects on other stars.

How long does it take for a neutron star to form?

This process could take a long time, maybe a million years or more depending on how quickly it accretes the material. Once the neutron star is over the mass limit, which is at a mass of about 3 solar masses, the collapse to a black hole occurs in less than a second.

How long does a neutron star last?

A neutron star alone in the universe would stay exactly the same forever (well, until spontaneous entropy reversal, but that happening by random forces for an object that size is estimated to take >10^110 years).

How are neutron stars born?

Neutron stars are formed when a massive star runs out of fuel and collapses. If the core of the collapsing star is between about 1 and 3 solar masses, these newly-created neutrons can stop the collapse, leaving behind a neutron star. (Stars with higher masses will continue to collapse into stellar-mass black holes.)

Can a neutron star sustain life?

The environment around neutron stars is very harsh, since these are very extreme and energetic objects. Large flows of X-rays are constantly emitted with an intensity thousands to million times stronger than the Sun, which would be of course a deadly experience for any form of life developing on such planets.

Can you create a neutron star?

It is impossible (at our current state of technological prowess) to blow up a star, say, but we can build an analog by recreating some of the conditions of a supernova. But they didn’t have to scoop a chunk of neutron degenerate matter from the surface of a real neutron star either.

Can you orbit a neutron star?

It is possible that there could be planets where terrestrial-type life could survive orbiting a neutron star, but they are likely extremely rare and transient.