Binary neutron star coalescence

sketchfab

Massive stars reach their final moments in a spectacular display, exploding as supernovae that leave behind neutron stars. These tiny, incredibly dense celestial bodies are the smallest and densest stars humanity knows to exist. As two neutron stars orbit each other in a binary system, they slowly spiral inward over time, emitting gravitational waves that signal their inexorable approach. Eventually, the pair collides, unleashing an explosive kilonova that releases a vast amount of energy into space. The impact sparks a burst of gamma-ray light, illuminating the surrounding environment with intense radiation. A blast wave then propagates outward from the explosion site, radiating energy across all wavelengths. This artist's rendering depicts the collision of two neutron stars, their distorted blue forms at the heart of the scene, as well as the high-energy jets that erupt from the impact zone. Credits: INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo.