A flash of radiation called a gamma-ray burst (GRB) which swept across Earth last year was the brightest on record, astronomers have recently been able to confirm. Seen on 9 October 2022, it's believed such blasts only occur once every 10,000 years.
The event is called GRB 221009A, though it has been nicknamed the BOAT - the brightest of all time. GRBS are thought to be created when a large star's core collapses to form a black hole, which then quickly ingests the gas surrounding it before blasting the material out at near to light speed.
This story is from the June 2023 edition of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
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This story is from the June 2023 edition of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
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