Astronomers have observed what might be the 'perfect explosion,' a colossal and utterly spherical blast triggered by the merger of two very dense stellar remnants called neutron stars shortly before the combined entity collapsed to form a black hole.
An artist's impression shows two tiny, ultra-dense neutron stars at the point of merging to explode as a kilonova, in the galaxy NGC 4993, announced by scientists on October 16, 2017. Shockwaves and light flashes emitted by the cosmic fireball traveled some 130 million light-years to be captured by earthly detectors on August 17, 2017, they revealed at simultaneous press conferences around the globe.
The two neutron stars, with a combined mass about 2.7 times that of our sun, had orbited each other for billions of years before colliding at high speeds and exploding. This unfolded in a galaxy called NGC 4993, about 140-150 million light years away from Earth in the direction of the constellation Hydra. A light year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles .
"Aesthetically, the colors the kilonova emits quite literally look like a sun - except, of course, being a few hundred million times larger in surface area. Physically, this spherical explosion contains the extraordinary physics at the heart of this merger," Sneppen added. "Given the extreme nature of the physical conditions—far more extreme than a nuclear explosion, for example, with densities greater than an atomic nucleus, temperatures of billions of degrees and magnetic fields strong enough to distort the shapes of atoms - there may well be fundamental physics here that we don't understand yet," Watson added.The two neutron stars began their lives as massive normal stars in a two-star system called a binary.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Rayver Cruz and Julie Anne San Jose call each other 'My Perfect Valentine'Rayver Cruz and girlfriend Julie Anne San Jose celebrated like proper love birds on Valentine&39;s Day.
Read more »
Disney unveils new princess-inspired wedding gowns perfect for your dream fairytale weddingDisney just released its 2023 Fairy Tale Wedding Gown dress collection, inspired by Disney princesses like Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Rapunzel, Pocahontas, and Aurora from "Sleeping Beauty."
Read more »
Burt Bacharach mastered the art of the perfect pop song — and that ain’t easy - BusinessWorld OnlineEasy on the ear, perhaps. But the label of “easy listening” often attached to the songs of Burt Bacharach belies the mastery of his talent in crafting perfect moments in music. Yes, Bacharach’s back catalog is filled with memorable, catchy melodies — whether they were written with longtime partner and lyricist Hal David, former wife […]
Read more »
5 things research can teach us about having better sex, according to a sex therapist'The idea that sex is predictable, clear-cut, and picture-perfect is unrealistic. Sex is complex and multifaceted.'
Read more »
#LegsToDieFor: Celebrities with the sexiest legsIn showbiz, there are beautiful ladies who have been blessed with flawless and sexy legs that are perfect for models. In fact, some legs are to die for that many dream of having them. Take a look at these ladies who have the most beautiful legs in showbiz.
Read more »
Burnham Lake in Baguio is 'blue-ming'The transformation of Burnham Lake occurred at a perfect time for visitors of Baguio City on Valentine&39;s Day, according to Russel Simorio of GMA One North Central Luzon’s report on "24 Oras."
Read more »