Huge gamma-ray burst collection ‘rivals 250-year-old Messier catalog’ | Science & Technology

GRBs are the most violent explosions in the Universe, releasing more energy than the Sun would in 10 billion years. They occur when either a massive star dies or two neutron stars merge.

The explosions are so formidable that if one were to erupt within a distance of 1,000 light-years from Earth — which is predicted to happen every 500 million years — the blast of radiation could damage our ozone layer and have devastating consequences for life. However, the chances of such an event occurring any time soon are extremely low.

First observed almost six decades ago, GRBs also have the potential to help us better understand the history of our Universe, from its earliest stars to how it looks today.

The latest research recorded 535 GRBs — the nearest of which was 77 million light-years from Earth — from 455 telescopes and instruments across the world.

It was led by Professor Maria Giovanna Dainotti, of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and has been published today in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The researchers likened their collection to the 110 deep-sky objects catalogued by the French astronomer Charles Messier in the 18th century. To this day the catalogue continues to provide astronomers — both professional and amateur — with a range of easy-to-find objects in the night sky.

“Our research enhances our understanding of these enigmatic cosmic explosions and showcases the collaborative effort across nations,” said Professor Dainotti.

“The result is a catalogue akin to the one created by Messier 250 years ago, which classified deep-sky objects observable at that time.”

It has been hailed by co-author Professor Alan Watson, of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, as a “great resource” that could help “push the…