Hubble Telescope Traces Most Distant Known Fast Radio Burst to Group of Galaxies

Discovery expands understanding of environments in which these mysterious phenomena can form, with the galaxies heading towards a merger.

The most distant known fast radio burst (FRB), FRB 20220610A, which hit Earth in 2022, has been traced back to a group of seven small galaxies 8 billion light years away.
The discovery expands our understanding of the environments in which FRBs can form, adding 'compact group' to a list that includes star-forming spiral galaxies, galaxy clusters, dwarf galaxies and a globular cluster.
FRBs are thought to be generated by powerful rotating stars known as magnetars, which form early in a galaxy’s evolution when hot and massive stars explode.
The galaxies in the group from which FRB 20220610A originated are thought to be heading towards a merger, which could be significant in understanding the origins of FRBs.
The Hubble Space Telescope played a crucial role in pinpointing the origin of the FRB, and will continue to be instrumental in characterizing the environments in which these phenomena occur.