GammaRay

Color-coded density plot of gamma rays with energies between 5 and 150 gigaelectronvolts per photon, emitted by the Sun between October 2013 and January 2015, and registered by NASA’s Fermi-LAT telescope. It is superimposed on a false color image of the Sun in ultraviolet light, obtained with NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory in December 2014. Credit: Arsioli and Orlando 2024 & NASA/SDO/DubersteinDuring the last solar maximum, the polar regions of the Sun were notably the most active in emitting high-energy radiation,…

This artist’s concept shows the entire sky in gamma rays with magenta circles illustrating the uncertainty in the direction from which more high-energy gamma rays than average seem to be arriving. In this view, the plane of our galaxy runs across the middle of the map. The circles enclose regions with a 68% (inner) and a 95% chance of containing the origin of these gamma rays. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterNASA’s Fermi Telescope data revealed a surprising gamma-ray signal outside our galaxy, potentially linked…

NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has created a stunning all-sky time-lapse movie from 14 years of data, capturing the dynamic universe. It highlights the Sun’s path, the gamma-ray glow of the Milky Way, and distant galaxies known as blazars. The movie reveals both the beauty and complexity of the cosmos, showcasing high-energy events from across the galaxy and beyond, including eruptions from supermassive black holes. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.comNASA’s Fermi Space Telescope presents a 14-year…

Northwestern University researchers have developed simulations showing that long gamma-ray bursts, previously thought to be exclusive to massive star collapses, can also occur from neutron star mergers. This revelation provides deeper understanding of black hole physics and challenges existing astrophysical theories. Credit: SciTechDaily.comThe first large-scale numerical simulation of black hole-neutron star merger matches puzzling observations.In 2022, scientists from Northwestern University presented novel…

New research using computer simulations and astronomical data has uncovered that some long-lasting gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are caused by cosmic mergers forming black holes, challenging previous theories that attributed them solely to collapsing stars. This breakthrough provides a more comprehensive understanding of the origins of GRBs. Using state-of-the-art computer simulations, astrophysicists at the Flatiron Institute and their colleagues have sharpened our picture of how black holes may generate some of the…

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) again made a big discovery courtesy Astrosat space telescope by capturing a massive gamma-ray explosion. These gamma-ray bursts are considered as being the most powerful explosions known in the universe. Astrosat space telescope is India's first multi-wavelength space telescope. The burst that was captured is the telescope's 600th detection of such a massive GRB explosion. Experts believe that gaining further knowledge of the phenomenon can provide more understanding of…

ESA’s Integral space telescope detected an unprecedented gamma-ray burst from a distant exploding star, causing significant disturbances in Earth’s ionosphere. This event, the brightest and strongest of its kind ever recorded, has led researchers to explore its potential link to historical mass extinctions on Earth.An enormous burst of gamma rays, detected by ESA’s Integral space telescope, has struck Earth. The blast caused a significant disturbance in our planet’s ionosphere. Such disturbances are usually associated…

The gamma-ray burst, affectionately dubbed ‘BOAT’ (Brightest of All Time), has been found to emit gamma-rays with energies reaching up to 13 teraelectronvolts, as revealed by a collaboration of scientists who have studied these emissions.Dominic Monaghan on Attending Fan ConventionsGamma-ray bursts are the brightest explosions the cosmos has to offer, besides the Big Bang—the explosion that happened 13.77 billion years ago that marks the beginning of time. The BOAT was detected on the morning of October 9, 2022, by the…

Simplified illustration of gamma rays from thunderstorms. Credit: KyotoU/HiggsTan A research group led by Kyoto University, in cooperation with a network of citizen supporters, has collected data from gamma-ray glows—a phenomenon where high-energy photons crash to the ground from rolling thunderclouds—that may illuminate lightning's origins. …

An international team of astronomers has discovered a long gamma-ray burst in an ancient galaxy, likely caused by two separate neutron stars merging, challenging conventional understanding about the causes of such bursts. The team used multiple telescopes to analyze the 2019 burst, and though other potential causes are considered, they hope future observations will clarify the phenomenon’s origins.For the first time, an international team of astronomers has observed a long gamma-ray burst near the center of an ancient…