Astronomers discover the biggest neutron star till date

In a recent discovery, astronomers found what may be the most massive neutron star till date. Neutron stars are the densest celestial bodieswhich are approximated to be 1.4 times the sun’s mass. The measurement of this newly discovered star was done by scientists by hypothetically warping a white star around it and measuring the time it takes for light to pass through.  This method is known as relativistic Shapiro Delay and has been developed in order to determine the properties of celestial bodies whilst facing an inability to approach them physically.

"Neutron stars are as mysterious as they are fascinating. These city-sized objects are essentially ginormous atomic nuclei. They are so massive that their interiors take on weird properties. Finding the maximum mass that physics and nature will teach us a great deal about this otherwise inaccessible realm in astrophysics." , said Thankful Cromartie, a graduate student at the University of Virginia.

The newly detected neutron star is called J0740+6620 and is 333,000 times the mass of the Earth and 2.17 times the mass of the sun. This discovery has put many astronomers in awe of the large unknown and presented them with an opportunity to observe and learn about the strange and unrevealed secrets of these celestial bodies.