Gamma Ray Burst GRB990123
Depicts: GRB 990123
Copyright: Andrew Fruchter (STScI) and NASA
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A NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope view of the rapidly fading visible-light
fireball from the most powerful cosmic explosion recorded to date. For a
brief moment the light from the blast was equal to the radiance of 100
million billion stars. The initial explosion began as an intense burst
of gamma-rays which happened on Jan. 23, 1999.
The blast had already faded to one four-millionth of its original
brightness when Hubble made observations on February 8 and 9. Space
Telescope captured the fading fireball embedded in a galaxy located 2/3
of the way to the horizon of the observable universe.
Last Update: 1 September 2019