This week marks a new record for a recorded gamma ray burst. Just two days ago, astronomers were able to observe what is believed to have been the strongest blast of gamma rays from a dying star in a distant galaxy ever recorded on earth.
This blast, classified as a gamma ray burst (GRB), and given the number 130427A, was observed by NASA on 4/27/13 at 3:47 GMT.
The blast was estimated to have produced 94 billion electron volts, of some 35 billion times the energy of visible light and three times more powerful than anything recorded before by a telescope.
The emissions lasted for hours and were still detectable for the rest of the day, which also makes it the longest lasting burst recorded.
The source of the explosion was a galaxy about 3.6 billion years away, which is not that far in astronomical terms.
Gamma ray bursts are emitted when a star dies. As a star runs out of energy it collapses onto itself. As the core of the star disappears into a black hole, the resulting energy bursts out in this blinding display.
Considering the distance involved, the supernova remnant, or the remainder of the dead star should be visible in about two weeks.
Source: Xinhua 5.4.13
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