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Rare Optical Flare AT2022zod May Be an Unusual Tidal Disruption Event, Astronomers Say International Team Investigates a Powerful and Mysterious Flare Study Posted on arXiv Reveals New Clues to a Rare Phenomenon An international team of astronomers has examined a brief but intense optical flare known as AT2022zod, uncovering evidence that it may represent an unusual tidal disruption event. Their results, posted on 1 December on the arXiv pre-print server, shed new light on this rare phenomenon. A tidal disruption event (TDE) occurs when a star wanders too close to a supermassive black hole and is torn apart by immense tidal forces. The shredded stellar material then spirals inward, producing radiation from the innermost regions of the accreting debris — a telltale hallmark of a TDE. A Mysterious Flare Observed in 2022 Optical Outburst Lasted Just Over a Month AT2022zod was observed as an optical flare lasting just over a month, from 13 October to 18 November 2022, with a rise of rough...

Gemini South Telescope Captures Rare Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS With Expanding Tail Astronomers and Students Capture Stunning Image of a Galactic Visitor In a rare astronomical event, scientists and students collaborating through an innovative educational programme have captured a breakthrough image of interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS . The new data not only showcase its glowing coma and expansive tail but also shed light on its colours and chemical composition. On 27 August 2025 , researchers employed the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) at Gemini South in Cerro Pach ó n, Chile, part of the International Gemini Observatory managed by NSF NOIRLab , to secure multi-colour images of this fleeting cosmic traveller. This observation represents a landmark scientific and public engagement initiative, demonstrating how advanced telescopes can also become platforms for global education. A Public Window into the Cosmos Shadow the Scientists: Linking Classrooms with Astronomers The cometar...