Astronomers Uncover 12-Billion-Year-Old Cosmic Explosion: First-Ever Direct Observation of Light Escaping Stars!

Astronomers have recently made exciting discoveries about cosmic explosions known as Fast X-ray Transients (FXTs). These mysterious blasts of X-rays last only minutes and are challenging to trace. With the help of the Einstein Probe X-ray space telescope, scientists have successfully tracked one FXT, designated EP240315A, back to its source—12 billion years ago.

Peter Jonker, a researcher at Radboud University, mentioned how groundbreaking this is. “We’ve known about these explosions for a while, but the Einstein Probe lets us pinpoint them in near real-time,” he said. FXTs, found in far-off galaxies, can last from seconds to hours, making them hard to identify. They may occur when massive stars explode in supernovae, collapsing into black holes.

Samantha Oates from Lancaster University emphasized the significance of these findings. “Until recently, only a handful of FXTs had been discovered, and their origins remained a mystery,” she explained. “By the time they were identified, it was too late for follow-ups.” With improved mapping techniques using various telescopes, including the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, the team could analyze EP240315A more efficiently.

Andrew Levan, also from Radboud University, noted that this event occurred when the universe was less than 10% of its current age. “The energy released in just a few seconds from this explosion exceeds what our sun will emit throughout its lifespan,” he added.

Interestingly, FXTs might be related to gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)—the most powerful known explosions in the universe. While GRBs have been studied for decades, FXTs are still relatively new. Jonker posed an intriguing question: “Do all FXTs come from GRB-like systems, or is there more diversity in their origins?”

When investigating EP240315A, the researchers discovered it was surrounded by very little material, especially hydrogen. This lack of hydrogen is significant because it allows ultraviolet light to escape. Andrea Saccardi from the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission stated, “This is the most distant event where we can directly observe light escaping from around stars. These galaxies likely played a crucial role in reionization—the process that made the universe more transparent after the Big Bang.”

The Einstein Probe, which launched on January 9, 2024, aims to explore and detect more FXTs. Levan shared, “In just one year, we’ve tracked another 20 of these outbursts. FXTs show great promise for understanding stellar deaths and what the early universe was like.” Oates concluded by highlighting the Probe’s potential: “It’s revolutionizing our ability to detect and study FXTs.” The team’s findings were published in the journal *Nature Astronomy* on August 19.

Source link