GRB 990123 Host Galaxy Imaged
			
		
		
		
			Do the powerful explosions known as 
gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) originate in galaxies?  
This subject took on new light yesterday with the 
release of a 
Hubble Space Telescope 
image of the sky surrounding 
GRB 990123.
 
This burst was 
first detected only two weeks ago and cataloged 
as one of the most 
powerful GRBs ever.  
The optical transient 
(OT) counterpart to the GRB can be
seen as the bright spot just below center.  
Once so bright it was briefly visible with just binoculars, 
this OT has since become four million times dimmer 
and continues to fade.  
Now, it can be seen easily with only a large telescope.  
The diffuse object above is
of particular interest because it appears to be the
host galaxy of GRB 990123.  
This distant galaxy seems to have a normal
brightness but an irregular shape.  This discovery increases the 
evidence that most OTs do occur in galaxies.  
Are all host galaxies this strange?