Bright blue cosmic outbursts linked to black holes

In 2024, astronomers discovered the brightest Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transient (LFBOT) ever observed. LFBOTs are extremely bright flashes of blue light that shine for brief periods before fading away. This composite image features X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared data of the LFBOT named AT 2024wpp. One of these bright blue cosmic outbursts is shown here as the blue spot at the upper right edge of its host galaxy. That galaxy lies 1.1 billion light-years from Earth. Image via NOIRLab.