GRB 080916C

GRB 080916C was an extremely powerful gamma-ray burst detected in 2008, originating from a galaxy about 12.2 billion light-years away. It released an enormous amount of energy in just a few seconds, making it one of the brightest and most energetic events observed in the universe. Such bursts occur when massive stars collapse or when neutron stars merge, creating a black hole and emitting focused jets of high-energy radiation. GRB 080916C provided scientists crucial insights into the extreme processes of star death and the conditions of the early universe.