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What Would a Neutron Star Look Like to the Human Eye When Viewed from 10 Light Years Away?

-- | July 21, 2015

Question: What would a neutron star look like to the human eye from, say, 10 light years? — Lee

Answer: Neutron stars emit most of their thermal radiation at x-ray wavelengths, and emit very little radiation (i.e. “light”) at optical wavelengths. Therefore, at optical wavelengths, a neutron star even just 10 light years away would be very faint, and would be too faint to be seen with the unaided eye.

Jeff Mangum

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