SN 2026gzf Supernova Reveals Rare X-Ray Shock Breakout
Astronomers detected an unusually faint X-ray shock breakout from a massive star’s death in March 2026. Designated EP260321a and SN 2026gzf, the broad-lined Type Ic supernova occurred 500 million light-years away. Follow-up observations revealed unexpected characteristics, challenging long-held assumptions about how massive stars form gamma-ray bursts. A massive star’s violent collapse roughly 500 million light-years … Read more