Exotic Stars

Sometimes stars are made of something other than the usual electrons, protons, and neutrons. Quarks, strange matter, and preons can also make up stars, often prevented from gravitational collapse by quantum features.

Exotic stars can cause a variety of conditions in the surrounding area of space and on those planets which may orbit them. These conditions can be as exotic and unusual as the stars themselves. These objects provide an excellent way to introduce some of the more fantastic science fiction plots.

Quark & strange stars are rare neutron stars made of quarks or of strange matter.

Electroweak stars are super-dense neutron stars; the quarks have been converted to leptons via the electroweak force, and radiation pressure is all that prevents gravitational collapse.

Preon stars are compact stars composed of subatomic particles known as preons. They are smaller and lighter than neutron stars and white dwarfs, but have greater densities.

Boson stars are made out of bosons and were formed during the primordial stages of the big bang.

Dark stars have an escape velocity equal to or greater than the speed of light, but are stable against collapse into a black hole. Dark stars are effectively “invisible” stars and are almost impossible to detect even with advanced sensors.

Q-stars are known as “gray holes” and are very heavy neutron stars.

Ice stars are stars of intense cold. These stars radiate out that cold for many millions of miles in every direction.