This event poses a challenge for X-ray telescopes and other multi-wavelength observatories to detect.
In January 2024, China successfully launched the Einstein Probe (EP) space telescope into orbit to explore the deep secrets of the universe. Shortly after it began operations, the EP made a remarkable discovery: the appearance of a transient celestial object exhibiting a bright flickering phenomenon like fireworks, potentially indicating a completely new astronomical event.
This is an impressive X-ray burst that brightened 300 times in just 12 seconds before disappearing. (Illustrative image).
This new event, designated EP240408a, attracted significant attention when the EP satellite detected it on April 8. With its advanced X-ray detection capabilities, EP recorded an impressive X-ray burst that brightened 300 times in just 12 seconds before fading away. The X-ray source gradually dimmed and completely disappeared after about 10 days. This suggests that this is not an ordinary phenomenon but rather a new, unidentified event that has not been documented in previous studies.
According to Yuan Weimin, the principal investigator of the EP mission and a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), this discovery challenges both X-ray telescopes and other multi-wavelength observational tools. “This finding suggests that our current understanding of transient celestial phenomena may only be the tip of the iceberg,” Yuan remarked.
The EP is equipped with advanced technology featuring two main instruments: a Wide Field X-ray Telescope (WXT) and a follow-up X-ray Telescope. The WXT is designed based on the eyes of a lobster, enabling it to observe and image X-rays from a wide field simultaneously. As a result, the EP has quickly become a powerful tool for detecting transient events in the universe.
The EP also recorded another gamma-ray burst, designated EP240315a.
Since its inception, the EP has confirmed a total of 60 transient events, including phenomena such as supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. Notably, the satellite captured X-ray images of the Moon in September, demonstrating its sophisticated observational capabilities.
Not stopping at the EP240408a event, the EP also recorded another gamma-ray burst, designated EP240315a. This burst was detected at a distance of 25.6 billion light-years, further illuminating the process of black hole formation from stellar collapse. According to Yuan, this discovery indicates that the EP can observe gamma-ray bursts from very early stages of the universe, opening up new research opportunities regarding extreme physical processes.
Paul O’Brien, head of the astrophysics department at the University of Leicester’s School of Physics and Astronomy, stated: “The ability to survey and monitor wide fields in the X-ray sky has allowed the EP to discover many new transient events and regularly monitor known sources. These discoveries affirm the significant impact of the EP on the scientific community.”
