In a second only to the Big Bang event, astronomers have identified a "nearby" star system with the potential to produce a gamma-ray burst, one of the most energetic events in the universe.
According to a research published today,scientists revealed they have located the first of this rare star system in our galaxy, just 8,000 light years from earth, Xinhua news agency reported.
A gamma-ray burst from a star like this has the capacity to strip the earth of its Ozone layer, thankfully it was too far away, the scientists said.
"We knew immediately that we have found something quite exceptional, the luminosity across the spectrum from the radio to the infrared was off the charts," lead author Mr Joe Callingham from the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy said.
The system was nicknamed Apep. Two of Apep's stars are of the Wolf-Rayet variety meaning they are massive and reaching the end of their life.
These stars could explode into supernovae at any time, and could result in a cataclysmic gamma-ray event combining with the system's extreme conditions.
"The rapid rotation puts Apep into a whole new class," co-author Mr Benjamin Pope from New York University said.
"Normal supernovae are already extreme events but adding rotation to the mix can really throw gasoline on the fire," Mr Benjamin said
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The Best TV Series on Netflix in India [September 2020] The Best Series on Netflix in India [June 2020] The Best TV Series on Netflix in India [March 2020] World's Largest Isolated Tribe Makes Rare Appearance In New Footage Relationship Timeline Of Hardik Pandya, Wife Who "Parted Ways": 5 Facts Why BJP Lost Lok Sabha Polls In Uttar Pradesh - 6 Reasons In Party Report Delhi University Inviting Applications For Course In Pali/Tibetan Hegemonistic Ambitions: Tibet PM-In-Exile On China Renaming Places In India 7 Killed, 3 Injured As Taxi Falls Into Roadside Well In Maharashtra: Report Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.