News Astronomy

Cosmic afterglow steals the limelight

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

A chance cosmic alignment may have led astronomers to a clearer picture of gamma-ray bursts, flashes of high-energy radiation that rank as the most powerful explosions known in the universe.

The amplification of the afterglow of a gamma-ray burst (data points; uncertainty shown as bars) fits the curve predicted for the effect of a gravitational lens.