Some of the universe’s most extreme explosions leave behind almost no trace. The original explosion is unseen, but our observations can capture the long-lived echo it leaves behind as the shock front plows into its surrounding environment.
A team of scientists has observed an extraordinary gamma ray explosion outside our galaxy that lasted much longer than usual. Typically, gamma ray bursts are brief, but this one persisted for an entire day, making it a rare and puzzling event. Detected in July and reported in September, the phenomenon was studied using both ground-based and space telescopes, including Hubble. Researchers are still investigating its origin, and more data is needed to pinpoint its exact location. The findings were published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters by a European-led team.