Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

Fast blue optical transient

Astronomical observation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fast blue optical transient
Remove ads
Remove ads

In astronomy, a fast blue optical transient (FBOT), or more specifically, luminous fast blue optical transient (LFBOT), is an explosive transient event similar to supernovae and gamma-ray bursts with high optical luminosity, rapid evolution, and predominantly blue emission.[1] The origins of such explosions are currently unclear, with events occurring at not more than 0.1% of the typical core-collapse supernova rate.[2] This class of transients initially emerged from large sky surveys at cosmological distances,[3][4] yet in recent years a small number have been discovered in the local Universe, most notably AT 2018cow.

Thumb
Illustration of a FBOT

The precise definition of what constitutes a 'fast blue optical transient' is currently contentious in the literature, largely defined by the observational properties rather than the underlying mechanisms/objects. Even within the class, growing samples of candidates[5] are beginning to reveal significant variation in properties when the objects are studied in greater detail, potentially indicative of different progenitor channels or explosion mechanisms.

Remove ads

List

Summarize
Perspective
More information Peak luminosity ...
Remove ads

See also

References

Loading content...
Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Remove ads