The X-ray glow keeps growing after the recent neutron star collision

Puzzled scientists expected the brightness to fade quickly

illustration of neutron star collision

ENDURING LIGHT  X-rays generated in the collision of two neutron stars (illustrated) have unexpectedly gotten brighter over time. Scientists are still trying to understand how jets spewing out from the collision could have produced the long-lasting glow.

CI Lab/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

More than 100 days after two neutron stars slammed together, merging into one, new telescope images have revealed that the collision’s lingering X-ray light show has gotten brighter.