"Galactic 'Demolition Derby' Unveils Explosive Star Deaths"

A gamma-ray burst detected in a distant galaxy nearly four years ago was likely generated by a demolition-derby-style collision between two stars or stellar remnants, according to a new study. The burst, known as GRB 191019A, is a long one and lasted a little more than a minute. The research team wants to find and characterize more events like GRB 191019A — ideally pairing visible-light data with a corresponding gravitational-wave detection. Such "multimessenger" observations would reveal a great deal about these enigmatic explosions, team members said.