Quark matter and the astrophysics of neutron stars

Abstract

Some of the means through which the possible presence of nearly deconfined quarks in neutron stars can be detected by astrophysical observations of neutron stars from their birth to old age are highlighted.

Comments: 8 pages, 6 figures, Plenary talk in Quark Matter 2006 to appear in J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 34 (2007)