Short gamma-ray bursts throughout the Universe

An artist’s impression of how GRB181123B compares to other short gamma-ray bursts. It is the second most distant short gamma-ray burst to ever be detected, and the most distant to have its optical afterglow captured — thanks to the quick response time of the Gemini North telescope. Except when they are detected by gravitational wave observatories, the gamma-ray bursts can only be detected from Earth when their jets of energy are pointed towards us.