The scientists analyzed the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever detected, named BOAT (Brightest of All Time) and GRB 221009A, observed by NASA’s Fermi and Swift satellites last October. The event is at least ten times brighter than any GRB seen before. The data collected during the event will help scientists learn more about the physics of the blast wave, and further observations will reveal new, unknown structures in our galaxy, allowing researchers to study the nature and composition of cosmic dust.

Scientists around the world have recently published the results of their analysis of the brightest gamma-ray burst ever detected.

Dubbed BOAT (the brightest ever), this exceptional event was discovered by NASA’s Fermi and Swift satellites last October, and University of Leicester researchers played a pivotal role in unraveling the event’s secrets. Gamma-ray bursts, or GRBs, are the most powerful explosions in the universe, and this event, officially named GRB 221009A, is at least 10 times brighter than anything previously seen by NASA’s Swift mission.

The results of the analysis, which includes research from a team of scientists from the University of Leicester, were presented at the High Energy Astrophysics Division meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Hawaii, and the Astrophysical Journal Letters is making a special publication. publication of relevant articles.

X-ray astronomer Dr Phil Evans of the University of Leicester School of Physics and Astronomy is leading the University of Leicester’s involvement in Swift. “We’re really lucky to see something like this – we think such brilliant events happen about once in a thousand years!”

He continued: “By studying the evolution of this incredibly bright gamma-ray burst in detail, we can learn a lot about the physics of the blast wave. Just as time-lapse cameras reveal the details of motion, dividing our data into small time slices allows us to see how GRBs change and learn more.” “