Astronomers are unsure what caused a "weird explosion" seen by the Einstein Probe's X-ray eye in April 2024. The explosion, designated EP240408A, was initially thought to be a gamma-ray burst or a tidal disruption event, but it did not conform to the characteristics of either of these events. This has led to the possibility that the explosion was caused by something entirely new.
The Einstein Probe is a Chinese X-ray space telescope that was launched in 2024. It is designed to detect and study high-energy explosions in the universe. The probe's X-ray eye is particularly sensitive to these explosions, and it has already detected a number of them.
The "weird explosion" seen by the Einstein Probe is one of the most unusual explosions ever detected. It is much more powerful than a typical gamma-ray burst, and it does not have the same afterglow. It is also much shorter than a typical tidal disruption event.
The fact that the explosion did not conform to the characteristics of either a gamma-ray burst or a tidal disruption event suggests that it may have been caused by something entirely new. One possibility is that it was caused by a jetted tidal disruption event. This is a type of tidal disruption event in which a supermassive black hole rips apart a star and then blasts out a jet of energy. However, the lack of radio emissions from the explosion suggests that it was not a jetted tidal disruption event.
Another possibility is that the explosion was caused by a new type of cosmic event. This is an exciting possibility, as it would mean that we have discovered a new way in which the universe can produce powerful explosions.
Whatever the cause of the explosion, it is clear that it was a very unusual event. It is possible that the Einstein Probe will detect more of these events in the future, and this could help us to understand what caused them.