The team was able to determine that the explosion was an incredible 100 times brighter than the entire Milky Way galaxy.
Explosion in the Sky
In 2020, a powerful flash was detected in the sky by a Wiki transient facility in California. This facility scans the night sky every two days, monitoring various Celestial phenomena using visible and infrared light. The explosion was initially labeled as at2021 lwx, however its distance was unknown, making it difficult to determine its true brightness.
Discovery of the Explosion
The following year, a team of researchers from the University of Southampton decided to investigate the recorded event. Armed with telescopes from Chile and Spain, they meticulously analyzed the explosion using different wavelengths of light. They discovered that the explosion occurred a staggering 8 billion light years away. This distance exceeded that of most other luminous flashes observed in the sky.
Characteristics of the Explosion
The explosion is characterized by a fireball that spans nearly 100 times the size of our solar system and has been actively glowing for over three years. Incredibly, within this short span of time, it is already emitted approximately 100 times the energy that the sun will produce throughout its entire 10 billion year lifespan. Once armed with the knowledge of both the distance and the apparent brightness, the team was able to determine that the explosion was an incredible 100 times brighter than the entire Milky Way galaxy.
Questions Regarding the Nature of the Explosion
The discovery of this Cosmic event has raised several questions regarding its nature. What are the origins of this tremendous explosion if it is so bright, then how did astronomers miss it in the first place? Finally, and most importantly, how could this discovery pave the way for new physics?
Introduction
Astronomers have recently made an extraordinary discovery – an event estimated to be around 2 trillion times brighter than the sun. This event has been emitting high levels of energy continuously for three years straight, and no known physics phenomenon can explain the sheer brightness exhibited by this cosmic event. In order to unravel the mystery behind this extraordinary explosion, astronomers have explored various potential explanations.
The Discovery
This remarkable event, which sat unnoticed in the databases for so long, was only discovered when astronomers looked at it through more powerful telescopes. It is truly captivating to think of the hidden treasures that lie within the vastness of space.
The Hypothesis
Given the circumstances, the first hypothesis on the astronomers’ list was that of an exploding star or a supernova. A supernova occurs when a massive star depletes its nuclear fuel causing its core to collapse under the force of gravity in just 15 seconds. The resulting shock waves cause the outer layers of the star to detonate, resulting in a supernova. Supernovae exhibit a spectacular display of light and radiation, encompassing gamma rays, X-rays and visible light.
The discovery of this extraordinary event has presented an unprecedented and extraordinary revelation. Astronomers have explored various potential explanations in order to unravel the mystery behind this cosmic event, but no known physics phenomenon can explain the sheer brightness exhibited by this cosmic event.
Explosion of AT2021 LWX
The explosion of AT2021 LWX has captivated observers, as it is 10 times brighter than any previously recorded supernova. This leads to the question of what could be causing such a grand explosion.
Tidal Disruption Event
One potential explanation is known as a tidal disruption event (TDE). This occurs when a star passes close enough to a supermassive black hole to experience the immense tidal forces that tear it apart. As a result, the stellar debris cascades toward the black hole, generating a surge of electromagnetic radiation. On average, this occurs roughly once every thousand years.
Quasar
However, the observed cosmic flair persists at a brightness three times higher than what is typically observed in such events. Therefore, a tidal disruption event alone fails to provide a satisfactory explanation for the incredible luminosity displayed by AT2021 LWX. Some scientists suggest that this explosion could be attributed to a quasar, an extremely bright and distant active galactic nucleus powered by supermassive black holes.
At2021 lwx: The Brightest Explosion Ever Recorded
Quasars are some of the brightest and most powerful objects in the known universe. On average, they can be a trillion times brighter than the sun, surpassing the luminosity of the ancient galaxies that house them. However, a discrepancy arises when considering the behavior of a quasar known as At2021 lwx. Unlike typical quasars, At2021 lwx didn’t follow the pattern of fluctuations in brightness, but instead suddenly burst into brilliance three years ago and has been blazing ever since.
The Mysterious Cosmic Event
This deviation from the expected behavior of a quasar adds an extra layer of complexity to understanding the true nature of this mysterious cosmic event. So far, At2021 lwx is something that we have never seen before. However, researchers are betting on one possible explanation. According to a recent study, this remarkable explosion could be attributed to a colossal accretion event.
The Accretion Event
In this scenario, an enormous cloud of gas, possibly thousands of times larger than our sun, is being consumed by a supermassive black hole. As this extraordinary feeding process unfolds, it sends shock waves rippling through space. The superheated remnants of the surrounding gas cloud persist, forming a gigantic ring-like structure resembling a giant donut around the black hole.
GRB 22 1009a
It is worth mentioning that astronomers made a notable discovery in 2022 – the brightest explosion ever recorded, a gamma ray burst named GRB 22 1009a. Affectionately known as the ‘Cow’, GRB 22 1009a is believed to have been caused by the collision of two neutron stars, releasing an immense amount of energy in the process.
The Brightest Explosion of All Time
Nicknamed the brightest of all time, the lwx explosion of 2021 is considered the largest explosion ever released, with far more energy produced over the last three years than what was produced by boats. These brief, yet powerful flash events are exceptionally rare, but have the power to reshape Galactic centers over time.
Gathering Information
Scientists are eagerly searching for more of these massive explosions, gathering information from various sources, including x rays, to learn about temperature and surface processes. They are also planning computer simulations to test their ideas and see if they align with their observations. With new telescopes and advanced equipment, the possibilities for future discoveries are endless.
Mysterious Dark Galaxy
Recently, astronomers discovered a mysterious dark galaxy that does not emit any light. This discovery has further fueled our thirst for knowledge and the quest to uncover the secrets of these awe inspiring cosmic events continues.
