magnetar

British  

/ ˈmæɡnɪtɑː /

noun

1. a type of neutron star that has a very intense magnetic field, over 1000 times greater than that of a pulsar

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magnetar Scientific  

/ măg′nə-tär′ /

1. A neutron star with a very strong magnetic field. Magnetars are the proposed sources of observed gamma ray bursts.

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Etymology

Origin of magnetar

C20: from _magnet ( _ic ) ( _st ) _ar , on the model of _quasar

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

magnetar

Such a magnetar could provide a natural explanation for why the system remained active long after the brief gamma-ray flash had ended.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

"One plausible explanation is that the merger produced a rapidly rotating, highly magnetized neutron star -- known as a magnetar -- that powered the extended X-ray emission and continued energy injection," said Yin.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

"By carefully tracking the direction the radio waves and X-rays oscillate as the magnetar rotates, the team found that the alignment of 1E1547's magnetic and rotational poles were ideal for detecting vacuum birefringence."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026

Astronomers have, for the first time, observed the birth of a magnetar, an extremely magnetic, rapidly spinning type of neutron star.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026

Back in 2010, UC Berkeley theoretical astrophysicist Dan Kasen proposed that the answer was a newborn magnetar.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026

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