SMRTR Science & EngineeringMay 20, 2026TechEBlog

NASA’s Fermi Telescope Captures First Clear Signal from the Engine of a Record-Bright Star Explosion

SMRTR summary

NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has detected gamma rays from SN 2017egm, a record-bright supernova that exploded 440 million light-years away in 2017. This marks the first confirmed gamma-ray signal from a superluminous supernova, strongly suggesting a rapidly spinning magnetar powered the blast. The finding helps resolve a long-standing debate about what fuels these extraordinarily bright explosions, which can outshine entire galaxies.

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