A [gamma]-ray burst at a redshift of z [asymptotically =] 8.2

Long-duration γ-ray bursts (GRBs) are thought to result from the explosions of certain massive stars^sub 1^, and some are bright enough that they should be observable out to redshifts of z>20 using current technology^sup 2-4^. Hitherto, the highest redshift measured for any object was z=6.96, for...

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Published in:Nature (London) 2009-10, Vol.461 (7268), p.1254
Main Authors: Tanvir, N R, Fox, D B, Levan, A J, Berger, E, Wiersema, K, Fynbo, J P U, Cucchiara, A, Krühler, T, Gehrels, N, Bloom, J S, Greiner, J, Evans, P A, Rol, E, Olivares, F, Hjorth, J, Jakobsson, P, Farihi, J, Willingale, R, Starling, R L C, Cenko, S B, Perley, D, Maund, J R, Duke, J, Wijers, R A M J, Adamson, A J, Allan, A, Bremer, M N, Burrows, D N, Castro-Tirado, A J, Cavanagh, B, Postigo, A de Ugarte, Dopita, M A, Fatkhullin, T A, Fruchter, A S, Foley, R J, Gorosabel, J, Kennea, J, Kerr, T, Klose, S, Krimm, H A, Komarova, V N, Kulkarni, S R, Moskvitin, A S, Mundell, C G, Naylor, T, Page, K, Penprase, B E, Perri, M, Podsiadlowski, P, Roth, K, Rutledge, R E, Sakamoto, T, Schady, P, Schmidt, B P, Soderberg, A M, Sollerman, J, Stephens, A W, Stratta, G, Ukwatta, T N, Watson, D, Westra, E, Wold, T, Wolf, C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Astrophysics
Explosions
Stars & galaxies
Telescopes
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Summary:Long-duration γ-ray bursts (GRBs) are thought to result from the explosions of certain massive stars^sub 1^, and some are bright enough that they should be observable out to redshifts of z>20 using current technology^sup 2-4^. Hitherto, the highest redshift measured for any object was z=6.96, for a Lyman-α emitting galaxy^sup 5^. Here we report that GRB 090423 lies at a redshift of z[asymptotically =]8.2, implying that massive stars were being produced and dying as GRBs~630 Myr after the Big Bang. The burst also pinpoints the location of its host galaxy. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/nature08459