Event type | Gamma-ray burst |
---|---|
Constellation | Taurus |
Right ascension | 03h 51m 22.29s |
Declination | +28° 17′ 52.2″ |
Distance | 7,400,000,000 ly (2.3×109 pc) |
Total energy output | 1.2×1051 ergs |
Other designations | GRB 070714B |
GRB 070714B was a gamma-ray burst (GRB) that was detected on 14 July 2007 at 04:59 UTC. A gamma-ray burst is a highly luminous flash associated with an explosion in a distant galaxy and producing gamma rays, the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation, and often followed by a longer-lived "afterglow" emitted at longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and radio).
At a total duration of only 3 seconds, GRB 070714B was classified as a short burst, a subclass of GRBs which is believed to be caused by the merger of two neutron stars. GRB 070714B had a redshift of z = 0.92, corresponding to a distance of about 7.4 billion light years, making it the most distant short burst detected as of 2007.