Cosmic blast: Magnetar explosion rocked Earth on December 27, 2004

[This post is a modified, updated version of an article I wrote a few years back. Since today is the anniversary of the event, I thought it could use

MAGNETARS', SOFT GAMMA REPEATERS & VERY STRONG MAGNETIC FIELDS

Earth may have been hit by a cosmic blast

INTEGRAL (INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) - eoPortal

Rock Prophecy

Bad Astronomy, Anniversary of a Cosmic Blast

Bad Astronomy, Anniversary of a Cosmic Blast

NASA SVS

What are gamma-ray bursts?

Rock Prophecy

How a Mysterious Starquake Rocked the Earth in 2004