![403-Magnetar-Cover [403] Magnetar — An illustration by Don Dixon depicting a magnetar, a neutron star characterized by an extremely powerful magnetic field, undergoing a high-energy eruption. The scene visualizes the magnetar's fractured, incandescent crust and the resulting release of plasma and radiation into the surrounding magnetosphere, driven by magnetic reconnection events. This digital illustration was created for the February, 2003 issue of Scientific American](403-magnetar-magnetic-reconnection-flare-dixon.jpg)
[403] Magnetar — An illustration by Don Dixon depicting a magnetar, a neutron star characterized by an extremely powerful magnetic field, undergoing a high-energy eruption. The scene visualizes the magnetar's fractured, incandescent crust and the resulting release of plasma and radiation into the surrounding magnetosphere, driven by magnetic reconnection events. This digital illustration was created for the February, 2003 issue of Scientific American
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![403-Magnetar-Cover [403] Magnetar — An illustration by Don Dixon depicting a magnetar, a neutron star characterized by an extremely powerful magnetic field, undergoing a high-energy eruption. The scene visualizes the magnetar's fractured, incandescent crust and the resulting release of plasma and radiation into the surrounding magnetosphere, driven by magnetic reconnection events. This digital illustration was created for the February, 2003 issue of Scientific American](../index.html#img=403-magnetar-magnetic-reconnection-flare-dixon.jpg)