BRIGHTEST EVER EXPLOSION IN DEEP SPACE

Astronomers have spotted what they think might be the most powerful explosion ever observed.
The explosion is a gamma-ray burst which is known as GRB221009A, which might have been caused by a supernova that left behind a black hole.
“Informally, we’ve been calling it the BOAT — the brightest of all time,” says astronomer Jillian Rastinejad.
The problem, for scientists, is that the explosion is so bright that it is overwhelming the detectors of gamma-ray telescope

What is Supernova?

All the stars burn nuclear fuel in their cores to produce energy.
The heat generates internal pressure which pushes outwards and prevents the star from collapsing inward due to the action of gravity on its own mass.
But when the star ages and runs out of fuel to burn, it starts to cool inside.
This causes a lowering of its internal pressure and therefore the force of gravity wins; the star starts to collapse inwards.
This builds up shock waves because it happens very suddenly, and the shock wave sends the outer material of the star flying. This is what is perceived as a supernova. This happens in very massive stars.

Where Do Supernovas Take Place?

Supernovas are often seen in other galaxies. But supernovas are difficult to see in our own Milky Way galaxy because dust blocks our view. In 1604, Johannes Kepler discovered the last observed supernova in the Milky Way. NASA’s Chandra telescope discovered the
remains of a more recent supernova. It exploded in the Milky Way more than a hundred years ago.

What Causes a Supernova?

A supernova happens where there is a change in the core, or center, of a star. A change can occur in two different ways, with both resulting in a supernova.
The first type of supernova happens in binary star systems.
Binary stars are two stars that orbit the same point. One of the stars, a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, steals matter from its companion star.
Eventually, the white dwarf accumulates too much matter. Having too much matter causes the star to explode, resulting in a supernova.
The second type of supernova occurs at the end of a single star’s lifetime. As the star runs out of nuclear fuel, some of its mass flows into its core.
Eventually, the core is so heavy that it cannot withstand its own gravitational force. The core collapses, which results in the giant explosion of a supernova.
The sun is a single star, but it does not have enough mass to become a supernova.

SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, PIB

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