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Subject: Massive Explosion In Earth's Nearest Galaxy
Written By: Philip Eno on 05/28/14 at 4:55 am
A massive explosion in our nearest galaxy may have been caused by two stars colliding.
A sudden burst of gamma-rays in the Andromeda Galaxy was detected by a Nasa satellite on Wednesday morning.
There are various different types of gamma-ray emissions, and it is unclear whether it was specifically a gamma ray burst (GRB).
If it was, it was most-likely caused by the collision of two neutron stars.
It would be significant given that Andromeda is 2.5 million light years away – the previous nearest GRB took place 2.6 billion light years away.
By observing how the light fades over the next 24-48 hours, astronomers should be able to tell what type of gamma-ray emission it was.
Nasa's Swift Burst Alert telescope watches the skies for gamma-ray bursts and sends their locations back to stations on the ground.
It observes around 90 gamma-ray events every year, but usually from much further away.