On October 9, 2022, astronomers detected GRB 221009A, the most powerful gamma-ray burst ever recorded, earning the nickname “BOAT” (Brightest Of All Time). This rare, once-in-10,000-year event came from a galaxy 2 billion light-years away and temporarily blinded gamma-ray detectors. It revealed new insights into stellar death, as the associated supernova (SN 2022xiw) was initially hidden by the burst’s brilliance. Using Fermi and the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists detected unique signals like electron-positron annihilation but no heavy elements, challenging assumptions about how such elements are created in stellar explosions and refining GRB and black hole models.
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