Thursday, December 4, 2008
List of stellar records:part 6
Graphic: NASA/Dana Berry
Fastest rotator: XTE J1739-285
This neutron star shows X-ray bursts and rotates with 1122 revolutions per second. This is the speed record for rotation. It is accelerated by gas falling in from a near partner star. Possibly it isn't even made of neutrons, but of free, extremely dense quarks. Because at this rotation speed neutrons would separate from each other and the star would fall apart. But this is very debatable.
Constellation: Ophiuchus
Distance: 39 000 light-years
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