# A Neutron Star question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-neutron-star-question/192688>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 3, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-neutron-star-question/192688 "2003-08-03T05:10:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-neutron-star-question/192688/1 "2003-08-03T05:10:30Z")

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Okay, so neutron stars produce very powerful magnetic fields. I understand how a _charged_ system could do this, but neutron stars are…neutral.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that indeed, the answer is not yet known. If I am wrong please rid me of my ignorance.

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-neutron-star-question/192688/2 "2003-08-03T05:54:51Z")

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Short answer:  
The inner core is a superconductor swimming with electrons, and likely protons as well.  
More details in this thread:  
[What generates the magnetic field of a neutron star ?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=84896)

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**Author:** ![starman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@starman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starman)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-neutron-star-question/192688/3 "2003-08-03T10:11:22Z")

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Somewhat of a hijack, I guess, but on a sort of related note… what generates the magnetic field of a black hole?  
-Oli

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**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-neutron-star-question/192688/4 "2003-08-03T10:57:05Z")

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To have a magnetic field, a black hole has to be both spinning and have a nonzero electric charge. Then again, any normal object satisfying these conditions will have one.