278
The gamma-ray burst, labelled GRB 230307A, was more than a million times brighter than the entire Milky Way galaxy combined. And it is the second time that individual heavy elements have been detected using spectroscopic observations after neutron star mergers, providing invaluable insight into how these important and essential building blocks for life are formed.
The GRB 230307A event lasted 200 seconds, which means that it is classified as a long gamma-ray burst. This duration is unusual because most often neutron star mergers cause short gamma-ray bursts that last less than two seconds, and long gamma-ray bursts like this one are usually associated with the death of a massive star.
