Chandra X-ray Observatory image of a gamma ray burst from two colliding neutron stars in galaxy NGC 4993. The gamma ray burst is the light at the 11 o

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Chandra X-ray Observatory image of a gamma ray burst from two colliding neutron stars in galaxy NGC 4993. The gamma ray burst is the light at the 11 o'clock position. This is the first time that the aftermath of such a collision, known as a kilonova, has been witnessed. Kilonova are thought to be the origin for all elements heavier than iron in the universe. This merger also produced gravitational waves and gamma rays, both of which were detected by LIGO-Virgo and Fermi/INTEGRAL detectors respectively on the 17th August 2017. Galaxy NGC 4993 is about 130 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Hydra.

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Size: 4703px × 2646px
Photo credit: © NASA/CXC/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, -process, -ray, 17, 2017, 21st, 4993, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, august, binary, burst, century, chandra, colliding, collision, galaxy, gamma, gravitational, gravity, hst, hubble, hydra, kilonova, macronova, merged, merger, merging, neutron, ngc, observatory, ray, rays, space, star, stars, supernova, telescope, waves