Artist’s impression of a Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transient that is unusually far from its host galaxy

Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients are characterized by their intense, blue light. They evolve rapidly, reaching peak brightness and fading again in a matter of days, unlike supernovae which take weeks or months. Drawing on data from several telescopes, including Gemini South, one half of the International Gemini Observatory operated by NSF’s NOIRLab, an international team of astronomers identified a transient, designated AT2023fhn and nicknamed ‘the Finch’, that shows all the tell-tale characteristics of an LFBOT with an additional, unexpected characteristic.