Magnetars and Magnetic Fields

Some neutron stars have magnetic fields over a quadrillion times stronger than Earth's. These are magnetars — the most powerfully magnetized objects known. A magnetar positioned halfway to the Moon could erase every credit card on Earth. Their fields are so strong they distort the shapes of atoms themselves.

Magnetars occasionally produce starquakes — cracks in their ultra-dense crusts that release enormous bursts of gamma rays and X-rays. In 2004, a magnetar 50,000 light-years away released a flare so powerful it briefly ionized part of Earth's upper atmosphere.