'Tasmanian Devil' Stellar Corpse Releases Powerful Explosions

Astronomers observe repeated explosions from a rare type of stellar event known as a Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transient, raising new questions about the life cycle of stars.

• Astronomers have observed a 'stellar corpse' nicknamed the 'Tasmanian devil' releasing powerful explosions months after the initial explosion of the star.
• The Tasmanian devil is a rare type of explosion called a luminous fast blue optical transient (LFBOT), which shines brightly in blue light and fades within days.
• The Tasmanian devil has been observed exploding repeatedly and releasing flares that are as powerful as the original event that caused the star's death.
• The cause of these repetitive explosions is currently unknown, but it is believed that the underlying cause could be a stellar remnant formed by the initial explosion, either a dense neutron star or a black hole.
• Studying LFBOTs could reveal more about the afterlife of a star, rather than just its life cycle that ends with an explosion and a remnant.

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