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birdwatcherA magnetar is a type of neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field. Magnetars are around 20 kilometres in diameter but substantially more massive than our Sun. A magnetar is so compressed that a thimbleful of its material would weigh over 100 million tons.
Most known magnetars rotate very rapidly—at least several times per second.
Magnetars are primarily characterized by their extremely powerful magnetic field, which can often reach the order of ten gigateslas. These magnetic fields are hundreds of thousands of times stronger than any man-made magnet. The magnetic field of a magnetar would be lethal even at a distance of 1000 km, tearing tissues due to the diamagnetism of water. It has even been said that at a distance halfway to the moon, a magnetar could strip information from a credit card on Earth.
Most known magnetars rotate very rapidly—at least several times per second.
Magnetars are primarily characterized by their extremely powerful magnetic field, which can often reach the order of ten gigateslas. These magnetic fields are hundreds of thousands of times stronger than any man-made magnet. The magnetic field of a magnetar would be lethal even at a distance of 1000 km, tearing tissues due to the diamagnetism of water. It has even been said that at a distance halfway to the moon, a magnetar could strip information from a credit card on Earth.
