News Astronomy

A bizarre gamma-ray burst breaks the rules for these cosmic eruptions

Accompanied by a kilonova, the burst should’ve lasted under two seconds, but lingered for 50 

An illustration of a pair of compact stars merging (bright dots in the center) and emitting jets of radiation (green and purple beams)

One possible origin for GRB 211211A, shown in this illustration, is a pair of compact stars merging (bright dots in the center) and emitting jets of radiation (green and purple beams). Heavy elements forming in the clouds of matter surrounding the stars emit light that is known as a kilonova.

Samuele Ronchini/GSSI 2022

By Lisa Grossman

- More than 2 years ago

Astronomers have spotted a bright gamma-ray burst that upends previous theories of how these energetic cosmic eruptions occur.