Suggested Searches

 

1 min read

Magnetar-Powered Kilonova Blast

This animation shows the sequence for forming a magnetar-powered kilonova, whose peak brightness reaches up to 10,000 times that of a classical nova. In this sequence, two orbiting neutron stars spiral closer and closer together before colliding and merging. This triggers an explosion that unleashes more energy in a half-second than the Sun will produce over its entire 10-billion-year lifetime. The merger forms an even more massive neutron star called a magnetar, which has an extraordinarily powerful magnetic field. The magnetar deposits energy into the ejected material, causing it to glow unexpectedly bright at infrared wavelengths.
  • Release Date
    November 12, 2020
  • Science Release
    NASA’s Hubble Sees Unexplained Brightness from Colossal Explosion
    Read the release
  • Credit
    NASA, ESA, and D. Player (STScI)

Downloads

  • 1280 × 720, 30 FPS
    mp4 (7.2 MB)
  • 1920 × 1080, 30 FPS
    mp4 (9.58 MB)
  • 3840 × 2160, 30 FPS
    mp4 (34.01 MB)

Related Images & Videos

GRB 200522A

GRB 200522A

This image shows the glow from a kilonova caused by the merger of two neutron stars. The kilonova, whose peak brightness reaches up to 10,000 times that of a classical nova, appears as a bright spot (indicated by the arrow) to the upper left of the host galaxy. The merger of the...

Collision Sequence for a Magnetar-Powered Kilonova Blast Illustration

Collision Sequence for a Magnetar-Powered Kilonova Blast Illustration

This illustration shows the sequence for forming a magnetar-powered kilonova, whose peak brightness reaches up to 10,000 times that of a classical nova. 1) Two orbiting neutron stars spiral closer and closer together. 2) They collide and merge, triggering an explosion that...

GRB 200522A

Kilonova Fade-out

These two images taken on May 26 and July 16, 2020, show the fading light of a kilonova located in a distant galaxy. The kilonova appears as a spot to the upper left of the host galaxy. The glow is prominent in the May 26 image but fades in the July 16 image. The kilonova's peak...

Share

Details

Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

Related Terms

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

Hubble Space Telescope

Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.

Hubble Science Highlights

Hubble Images

Hubble News