An Exploding Cow in Space? Koala it a New Type of Cosmic Burst - Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion May 27, 2020

A newly-discovered type of cosmic explosion does not seem to be standard supernovae, nor are they gamma ray bursts. Now, astronomers think they have an answer to what causes them.

A new class of cosmic explosions are seen in the distant Universe, unlike supernovae or gamma ray bursts — what are they?

By James Maynard

An artist’s concept of a FBOT eruption. Image credit: Bill Saxton/NRAO/AUI/NSF

The supernova SN 2018cow (“The Cow”), first seen in June 2018, may not have been a supernova after all, but an example of a new type of cosmic explosion, astronomers theorize.

Supernovae are powerful explosions of massive stars nearing the ends of their lives. When astronomers first saw an energetic blast from AT2018cow, they assumed the events they were witnessing was a supernova. However, the energy released during the event brightened, and dimmed, far faster than expected.

Another type of eruption in the Cosmos are gamma ray bursts (GRB’s) — some of the most powerful explosions in the Universe. However, this event did not fit the pattern of a typical GRB, either.

Read more: https://bit.ly/Exploding-Cow-in-Space

Anna Ho of Caltech, a lead researcher on this study, will join us on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion June 9. Make sure to tune in!

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- James