Scientists Discover a Powerful and Surprisingly Long-Lasting Gamma Ray Explosion Outside Our Galaxy

The Hubble Space Telescope is pictured on Feb. 19, 1997. Photo courtesy NASA

Scientists have discovered a gamma ray explosion outside our galaxy that’s not only exceptionally powerful, but also long-lasting.

Telescopes on Earth and in space — including Hubble — have teamed up to study the unique explosion of high-energy radiation first observed in July. Astronomers reported September 9th that it’s unlike anything they’ve witnessed before.

The repeated bursts of gamma rays were detected over the course of a day, according to scientists. That’s highly unusual since these kinds of bursts normally last just minutes or even milliseconds — rarely no more than a few hours — as dying stars collapse or are torn apart by black holes.

Scientists said such a long and recurrent gamma ray explosion is puzzling — a cosmic whodunit, at least for now. More observations are needed to confirm its precise whereabouts.
The European-led team announced its findings in the Astrophysical Journal Letters in August.

(Source: pbs.org)