What is the estimate of total mass of all neutron stars in milky way?
The estimates of the number of neutron stars in the Milky Way are uncertain, but a round number is probably several hundred million. Each of them likely weighs around 1.5 solar masses, so the total mass is probably around a billion solar masses. Cole Miller 11. Do you suppose that if a GRB were to occur, say, 1000 light-years from the earth, the gamma rays would kill life on the planet? If a gamma-ray burst were to occur 1000 light years from Earth and pointed directly at us, then for a few seconds it would appear much brighter than the Sun. I suspect that the result would be that the side facing the gamma-ray burst would be blasted pretty strongly, probably also creating horrendous winds in the rest of the planet. My guess is that sea life would survive on the far side of the Earth, so the planet wouldn’t be completely sterilized, but I wouldn’t want to be around then! Cole Miller 12. One unanswered question I have is whether a neutron star can accrete enough material to pass through
