IXPE observes the aftermath of an exceptional cosmic explosion

Dec. 23 () –

Astronomers believe that an exceptional gamma-ray burst on October 9 it could be the birth cry of a black holeformed at the center of a massive star collapsing under its gravity.

Under these circumstances, a fledgling black hole drives powerful jets of particles that travel at speeds close to the speed of light. The jets streak through the star, emitting X- and gamma-rays on their way into space.

The signal, coming from the Sagitta constellation, has traveled some 1.9 billion light years to reach Earth. The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and NASA’s Swift Observatory detected the burst of light — a powerful gamma-ray burst named GRB 221009A — one of the brightest known. Scientists around the world trained their telescopes on the aftermath of the event.

Light from this ancient explosion provides new insights into stellar collapse, the birth of a black hole, the behavior and interaction of matter near the speed of light, conditions in a distant galaxy, and much more.

Another gamma-ray burst may not appear this bright for decades. “I believe that an event like this will never happen again in my life,” he says. it’s a statement Michela Negro, a researcher at NASA’s Goddard Center, who observed the aftermath of the event with the IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) satellite.

“It was at least 10 times brighter than the previous record holder, GRB 130427A,” explained Colleen Wilson-Hodge, principal investigator for the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) at Fermi Observatory. He also noted that scientists observed an unusually bright and long-lasting afterglow after the explosion.