On Christmas Day 2010, Swift detected an unusual event. Papers published in Nature on 1st December (Thöne et al. and Campana et al.) suggest two completely different interpretations: either a novel type of GRB/supernova or a minor body (eg a comet) falling onto a neutron star. See our press page for related articles online (Multimedia links).
Artist's impression of the Christmas Burst. The merging of the helium and neutron star produces a broad torus, plus two jets aligned with the rotation axis of the system. The jets interact with the previously ejected torus causing the observed black body spectrum. Click for a larger version.
Credit: Aurore Simonnet, NASA, E/PO, Sonoma State University