Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. The Earth's magnetic field which deflects compass needles is measured to be about 1 Gauss , the strongest fields sustainable in Earth-based laboratories are about 100,000 Gauss, yet the Magnetar's monster magnetic field is estimated to be 1,000,000,000,000,000 Gauss. A magnet this strong , located at about half the distance to the Moon would easily erase your credit cards and suck pens out of your pocket. That blast of high-energy radiation is now known to have had a measurable effect on Earth's ionosphere. At the surface of the Magnetar , its powerful magnetic field is thought to buckle and shift the neutron star crust generating the intense gamma-ray flares.
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