Detection of stellar gamma-ray flare from Messier 82

According to research published in the journal Nature on April 24, scientists have detected stellar gamma-ray flares from Messier 82, aka M82.

This is the gamma ray flare of the most distant star . Gamma rays are released in just 1/10 of a second the amount of energy the Sun emits in about 10,000 years.

Messier 82 galaxy. (Photo: NASA)

Scientists say that so far only two giant gamma-ray flares have been observed in the Milky Way, in 2004 and 1998, and one flare in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy in 1979.

Astrophysicist Sandro Mereghetti of the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) in Milan, lead author of the study, said giant flares are very rare events. The Milky Way contains at least 30 magnetars, possibly more, but giant flares have not been detected.

M82, nicknamed the "cigar galaxy" because when viewed from the side it looks like a long cigar, is 12 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. A light year is the distance light travels in 1 year, equivalent to 9,500 billion km.

To date, the star's giant gamma-ray flare from M82 is the farthest known, but not the most powerful. The strongest outbreak was discovered in 2004.