Scientists Uncover Truth About Luminous Infrared Kilonova

Scientists have long known that short gamma-ray bursts are the result of colliding neutron stars. On May 22, 2020, scientists observed the brightest kilonova ever recorded, leading to further studies which confirm that kilonovae might result in the formation of magnetars--massive, highly-magnetized neutron stars--rather than black holes, as previously theorized. Credit: NASA, ESA, and D. Player (STScI)