Star Detonating (IMAGE)

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Star Detonating

Caption

Gamma-ray bursts longer than two seconds are caused by the detonation of a massive star at the end of its life. Jets of particles and gamma radiation are emitted in opposite directions from the stellar core as the star collapses. This animation shows what a gamma-ray burst might look like up close.

Credit

NASA/Swift/Cruz deWilde

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