Rare blue optical transient points to possible new class of cosmic explosion

Rare blue optical transient points to possible new class of cosmic explosion Chinese astronomers report the detection of a peculiar optical transient event that occurred in the center of a dwarf galaxy. The newly discovered event, designated AT2019ijn, is a fast-rising, slow-decaying blue optical transient with exceptionally bright radio emission.

The finding was detailed in a paper published July 6 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.