What are gamma-ray bursts?

Gamma-ray bursts are like super powerful flashlights in space that suddenly turn on and shine really bright for a short time.

Imagine you're playing hide-and-seek with your friends, and someone turns on a flashlight so bright it lights up the whole neighborhood, that’s kind of what happens during a gamma-ray burst. Except instead of a flashlight, it's a huge explosion in space, sending out gamma rays, which are like invisible light particles.

Sometimes, when really big stars run out of fuel and collapse, they make these explosions, kind of like a star having a really loud sneeze. This is one way gamma-ray bursts happen.

Another way is when two super-dense stars, called neutron stars, crash into each other, it’s like the biggest car crash in space, sending out a burst of energy that can be seen from very far away.

These bursts are so powerful they could light up an entire galaxy for a moment, even if you're on the other side of the universe!