Brynmor Haskell

A neutron star is a spinning top with the mass of the Sun, crushed to the size of a city. It's born in the fire of a supernova and usually only slows its spin. But sometimes, for no apparent reason, it suddenly speeds up — such a jerk is called a glitch.

A neutron star is a sphere the size of a city but with the mass of an entire Sun. Its magnetic field can tear atoms apart from thousands of kilometers away. Yet until now, it was a mystery how this field is arranged inside: whether it is twisted into tight ropes or more like neat lines radiating from the poles.