An extragalactic outburst whose light hurtled through the inner solar system last fall was 70 times brighter than any other such eruption that scientists have observed, researchers report.
Radiation from the explosion — a gamma-ray burst (GRB) known as GRB 22100.
On Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, a pulse of intense radiation swept through the solar system so exceptional that astronomers quickly d믭 it the BOAT – the brightest of all time.
The source was a gamma-ray burst (GRB), the most powerful class of explosions in the universe..
Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous explosions in the cosmos.
Astronomers think most occur when the core of a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel, collapses under its own weight, and forms a black hole, as illustrated in this animation..
Between 1971 and 1973, scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory examined several GRBs detected by Vela satellites and determined that gamma-ray bursts are indeed "of cosmic origin." Since then, scientists have been fascinated by these massive cosmic explosions and their sources..
Between 1971 and 1973, scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory examined several GRBs detected by Vela satellites and determined that gamma-ray bursts are indeed "of cosmic origin." Since then, scientists have been fascinated by these massive cosmic explosions and their sources..
The answer is no, even though there are GRBs detected almost everyday, scattered randomly throughout the Universe, it is highly unlikely.
There are no stars within 200 light years of our Solar System that are of the type destined to explode as a GRB, so we do not expect to witness such an event at close range.
Between 1971 and 1973, scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory examined several GRBs detected by Vela satellites and determined that gamma-ray bursts are indeed "of cosmic origin." Since then, scientists have been fascinated by these massive cosmic explosions and their sources.
Related: What is a supernova?Oct 5, 2023.
Gamma rays have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy of any wave in the electromagnetic spectrum.
They are produced by the hottest and most energetic objects in the universe, such as neutron stars and pulsars, supernova explosions, and regions around black holes..
Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous explosions in the cosmos.
Astronomers think most occur when the core of a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel, collapses under its own weight, and forms a black hole, as illustrated in this animation..
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The observed offset distribution of gamma-ray bursts from their host galaxies:
It is generally believed that long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are associated with massive star core collapse 1, whereas short-duration GRBs are associated with mergers of compact star binaries 2.
DISTANT BOOM.
On January 23, 1999, an intense gamma-ray burst exploded with the energy of 100 million billion stars.
Hubble’s camera caught the interloper in a galaxy two-thirds of the way to the edge of the visible universe.
Gamma-ray bursts are short emissions of the most energetic form of light.
This particular burst, called GRB 230307A, was likely created when two neutron stars — the incredibly dense remnants of stars after a supernova — merged in a galaxy about one billion light-years away.
Types of celestial objects that can emit gamma-ray bursts
