# Neutron star mass

1. Jan 18, 2008

### blumfeld0

The Chandrasekhar limit (~1.4 Msolar) is an upper limit to the mass a white dwarf star. So this means we can not have a white dwarf star in nature that weighs more than this. But is it true that we can have a neutron star that weighs less than 1.4 Msolar?
If so, this makes no sense to me because "the Chandrasekhar limit is the maximum nonrotating mass which can be supported against gravitational collapse by electron degeneracy pressure". But a neutron star is supported by neutron degeneracy pressure!
I always learned that if the remnant core of star was more than 1.4Msolar it would have to be a neutron star? but how can it be less than this and still be a neutron star?

Where am i going wrong?

thank you

2. Jan 18, 2008

### malawi_glenn

I've checked some refences and why it can be a NS below M_Chandrasekhar is perhaps written in this source:

http://www.aanda.org/index.php?option=article&access=standard&Itemid=129&url=/articles/aa/ps/2001/08/aah2358.ps.gz [Broken]

Also things like density of the proto-NS matters etc, density and mass plays a role.

Last edited by a moderator: May 3, 2017