In February 2024, scientists on Earth detected a powerful radio blast from outer space.
Dubbed FRB 20240209A, the February 2024 FRB wasnt just a one-and-done.
Between February and July 2024, the same source flared 21 times.
The CHIME telescopes that detected the February 2024 FRB.© CHIME, Andre Renard, Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto
That doesnt appear to be the case here, Eftekhari continued.
Thanks to this new discovery, a picture is emerging that shows not all FRBs come from young stars.
Maybe there is a subpopulation of FRBs that are associated with older systems.
The February FRB, marked with the oval outlines, is far from its home galaxy, the big yellow splotch. © Gemini Observatory
The old galaxy in question is 11.3 billion years old, and 2 billion lightyears away from us.
It seems to be the most massive FRB host galaxy to date, Eftekhari said.
Its among some of the most massive galaxies out there.
FRB 20240209A could be a twin of the M81 event [M81 FRB].
If yes, it would make this FRB only the second FRB known to reside in a globular cluster.
If not, we would have to consider alternative exotic scenarios for the FRBs origin.
In other words: back to the drawing board!
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