A supernova explosion giving birth to a black hole billions of light years from Earth could have resulted in the most powerful explosion ever recorded. Astronomers using the Gemini South telescope in Chile operated by the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) NOIRLab observed the aftermath of the explosion, on October 14, 2022. The explosion, called Gamma-Ray Burst GRB221009A, was a record-shattering event, and was first detected on October 9, 2022, by orbiting X-ray and gamma-ray telescopes. The titanic cosmic explosion occurred 2.4 billion light-years from Earth.


The explosion is one of the nearest gamma-ray bursts ever observed


Astronomers worldwide are intrigued by this occurrence, and are studying its aftermath. The explosion is one of the nearest and possibly the most-energetic gamma-ray bursts ever observed. Two independent teams using the Gemini South telescope in Chile have released observations which targeted the bright, glowing remains of the explosion. The Gemini South telescope in Chile is one of the twin telescopes of the International Gemini Observatory operated by the NSF's NOIRLab. 


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How was the gamma-ray burst detected?


The GRB occurred approximately 2.4 billion light years away in the direction of the constellation Sagitta and was first detected the morning of October 9 by X-ray and gamma-ray telescopes. These include NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and the Wind spacecraft, a statement released by NOIRLab says. 


The two teams worked closely with staff at the Gemini South to obtain the earliest-possible observations of the afterglow of the historic explosion.


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On October 14, two independent teams of observers conducted two Rapid Target of Opportunity imaging observations. A Target of Opportunity is a target identified too late. According to NOIRLab, the observations occurred minutes apart. While the first observation used the FLAMINGOS-2 instrument, a near-infrared imaging spectrograph, the other observation used the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS).


The explosion’s afterglow is breaking all records


Brendan O'Connor, one of the authors on the paper, said in the statement that the exceptionally long GRB 221009A is the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded and its afterglow is breaking all records at all wavelengths. 


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He added that since the burst is so bright and also nearby, the researchers think this is a once-in-a-century opportunity to address some of the most fundamental questions regarding these explosions, from the formation of black holes to tests of dark matter models.


According to astronomers, the gamma-ray burst represents the collapse of a star many times the mass of the Sun. The star, in turn, launched an extremely powerful supernova and gave birth to a black hole 2.4 billion light years from Earth. 


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The burst is the ‘Brightest Of All Time’


Jillian Rastinejad, one of the authors on the paper, said his research group has been referring to the burst as the BOAT, or Brightest Of All Time. This is because when one looks at the thousands of bursts gamma-ray telescopes have been detecting since the 1990s, the newly detected gamma-ray burst stands apart. 


What happens when black holes are formed?


Black holes drive powerful jets of particles when they are formed. These jets are accelerated to nearly the speed of light, and piece through what remains of the progenitor star. The jets emit X-rays and gamma rays as they stream into space. The jets, if pointed in the general direction of Earth, are observed as bright flashes of X-rays and gamma rays.


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According to NOIRLab, another gamma-ray burst this bright may not appear for decades or even centuries. Due to the relative proximity of the event to Earth, it is a unique opportunity to better understand the origin of the elements heavier than iron and whether they all come solely from neutron-star mergers or also from collapsing stars that trigger gamma-ray bursts.


O'Connor said that the Gemini observations will allow astronomers to utilise the nearby event to the fullest and seek out the signatures of heavy elements formed and ejected in the massive star collapse.