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As Above So Below
Astronomers Witness Massive Unexplained Explosions in Deep Space
Have we witnessed an intergalactic battle in deep space?
The events were detected by the Dark Energy Survey Supernova Programme (DES-SN), a collaborative program carried out at 25 different astronomical institutions which is aimed at tracking down and identifying supernovae and dark matter in the vast black reaches of space.
According to their estimates, these explosions – or whatever they were – occurred in a corner of the universe around 4 billion light years away. These mysterious events were extremely hot, with temperatures ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 degrees Celsius (our Sun’s surface temperature, by comparison, is around 5,000 Celsius on average).
These explosions were also enormous, ranging in size from several times the distance from Earth to Sun to up to a hundred. Whatever these events were, they were terrifying to behold.
Astronomers with The Royal Society still aren’t sure what exactly could have caused these bright explosions.
Typically, supernovae last several months, but these events displayed maximum brightness for only a week or so.
One theory posits that a powerful supernovae could have incinerated a cloud of material ejected from a dying star, although much more data is needed before any conclusions can be drawn. Although I have to wonder: would we be able to identify something truly anomalous or unique if we witnessed it? Or what scientists reach for the most likely explanation based on our current knowledge, publish the paper, and move on?
It’s hard to say. Miika Pursiainen of the University of Southampton has been analyzing the data but has so far been left with more questions than answers. “If nothing else,” she says, our work confirms that astrophysics and cosmology are still sciences with a lot of unanswered questions!”
When it comes to the mysteries of space, aren’t those the best kind?
Have we witnessed an intergalactic battle in deep space?
The events were detected by the Dark Energy Survey Supernova Programme (DES-SN), a collaborative program carried out at 25 different astronomical institutions which is aimed at tracking down and identifying supernovae and dark matter in the vast black reaches of space.
According to their estimates, these explosions – or whatever they were – occurred in a corner of the universe around 4 billion light years away. These mysterious events were extremely hot, with temperatures ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 degrees Celsius (our Sun’s surface temperature, by comparison, is around 5,000 Celsius on average).
These explosions were also enormous, ranging in size from several times the distance from Earth to Sun to up to a hundred. Whatever these events were, they were terrifying to behold.
Astronomers with The Royal Society still aren’t sure what exactly could have caused these bright explosions.
Typically, supernovae last several months, but these events displayed maximum brightness for only a week or so.
One theory posits that a powerful supernovae could have incinerated a cloud of material ejected from a dying star, although much more data is needed before any conclusions can be drawn. Although I have to wonder: would we be able to identify something truly anomalous or unique if we witnessed it? Or what scientists reach for the most likely explanation based on our current knowledge, publish the paper, and move on?
It’s hard to say. Miika Pursiainen of the University of Southampton has been analyzing the data but has so far been left with more questions than answers. “If nothing else,” she says, our work confirms that astrophysics and cosmology are still sciences with a lot of unanswered questions!”
When it comes to the mysteries of space, aren’t those the best kind?