Overview Animation of Gamma-ray Burst

Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous explosions in the cosmos. Astronomers think most occur when the core of a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel, collapses under its own weight, and forms a black hole. The black hole then drives jets of particles that drill all the way through the collapsing star at nearly the speed of light. Artist's rendering.
Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
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svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/...