Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit

The Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit refers to the maximum mass that a neutron star can reach before it cannot support itself against gravitational collapse. Neutron stars, composed mostly of densely packed neutrons, are incredibly dense and stable up to a point. If their mass exceeds about 2 to 3 solar masses (the mass of our Sun), they may collapse into a black hole. This limit helps astronomers understand the end stages of massive stars and the nature of dense matter, providing insights into the physics of gravity and nuclear forces in extreme environments.