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    Question

    Which of the following statements about the cosmic

    explosion AT2021lwx is NOT true?
    A The explosion is currently ongoing and has lasted for over three years. Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    B It is 100 times the size of our Solar System. Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    C It was first detected by the Zwicky Transient Facility in California Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    D It has released more overall energy than the brighter explosion BOAT. Correct Answer Incorrect Answer
    E None of the above Correct Answer Incorrect Answer

    Solution

    Astronomers have identified the largest cosmic explosion ever observed, a fireball 100 times the size of our Solar System that suddenly began blazing in the distant universe more than three years ago. The explosion, known as AT2021lwx, has currently lasted more than three years, compared with most supernovae which are only visibly bright for a few months. Although BOAT was brighter than AT2021lwx, it lasted for just a fraction of the time, meaning the overall energy released by the AT2021lwx explosion was far greater. AT2021lwx has earned the nickname “Scary Barbie” from researchers owing to its “terrifying energy”. AT2021lwx was first detected in 2020 by the Zwicky Transient Facility in California and subsequently picked up by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) based in Hawaii.

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