Neutron stars are a soup of neutrons; city-sized remnants of supernovae. These ultra-compact stars have immense gravities creating escape velocities over half the speed of light.

Neutron stars rotate at incredible speeds of mere seconds – the fastest spins at a stunning 716 times per second. Recently, Dr. Natasha Hurley Walker discovered two very unusual Neutron stars with rotational periods as slow as twenty-two minutes.

Joins us this week as Mike explains why neutron stars spin so fast and the significance of one spinning slowly.

Astro Brief is a collaboration between KSMU, the Missouri Space Grant, and MSU’s Department of Physics, Astronomy and Materials Science. Hosted by Dr. Mike Reed, Astro Brief focuses on astronomical events, the field of astronomy, and astronomy-related guests. It airs Thursdays at 9:45 am on KSMU.