Astronomers think they have seen a type of explosion produced by a dying star called a dirty fireball for the first time, and it could help us understand how massive stars die. When a massive star ...

When enough material accumulates, it triggers a sudden thermonuclear explosion, causing the system to brighten dramatically.

Gamma-ray bursts are the universe’s ultimate flash in the pan. In a fraction of a second, they can violently release more energy than our Sun will emit over its entire ten-billion-year lifespan.