Glossary

Angular Momentum - Refer to "Why do Pulsars Spin?"

Gravitational  Collapse - When the pressure caused by nuclear reactions occurring inside the star aren't able to hold up the stars outer layers.

Magnetic Field - An invisible force that exist around all magnetic or electric currents

Magnetic Poles - The two areas of a magnet in which the magnetic field is most intense.

Neutron Star - A neutron star is the remnants of a dead supergiant. When the star collapses, the negatively charged electrons are combined with the positively charged protons, which forms neutral neutrons. Thus the name, neutron star. This small dense ball of matter, contains all the mass and magnetic field of the star's core.

Pulsar - Refer to "What are Pulsars?"

Radio Waves - An electromagnetic wave detectable at radio frequencies

Supernova - A supernova is a rare phenomenon in the known universe. It is the explosion of a star due to gravitational collapse.

Supergiant Star - A supergiant star is one that has a mass at least 6 to 10 times greater than earth's sun. This added mass creates a higher core temperature than in smaller stars. It also enables the star to have faster and more nuclear reactions than in a smaller star. After using up all its nuclear fuel, the supergiant star will explode in a supernova and then collapse to form a neutron star.