gamma-ray astronomy

gamma-ray astronomy
/gam"euh ray'/
the branch of astronomy that deals with the study of celestial objects by means of the gamma rays that come from them.
[1960-1965]

* * *

Study of astronomical objects and phenomena that emit gamma rays.

Gamma-ray telescopes are designed to observe high-energy astrophysical systems, including stellar coronas, white dwarf stars, neutron stars, black holes, supernova remnants, clusters of galaxies, and diffuse gamma-ray background radiation found along the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy. Because Earth's atmosphere blocks most gamma rays, observations are generally conducted by high-altitude balloons or spacecraft. In the 1960s defense satellites designed to detect X rays and gamma rays from clandestine nuclear testing serendipitously discovered enigmatic gamma-ray bursts coming from deep space. In the 1970s Earth-orbiting observatories found a number of gamma-ray point sources, including an exceptionally strong one, dubbed Geminga, that was later identified as a pulsar, the nearest yet detected. The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, launched in 1991, mapped thousands of celestial gamma-ray sources; it also showed that the mysterious bursts are distributed across the sky, implying that their sources are at the distant reaches of the universe rather than in the Milky Way.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Gamma-ray astronomy — is the astronomical study of the cosmos with gamma rays. Early history Long before experiments could detect gamma rays emitted by cosmic sources, scientists had known that the universe should be producing these photons. Work by Eugene Feenberg… …   Wikipedia

  • gamma-ray astronomy — ¦ ̷ ̷  ̷ ̷ ˌ ̷ ̷ noun : astronomy dealing with the properties of celestial bodies deduced from gamma rays they emit * * * /gam euh ray / the branch of astronomy that deals with the study of celestial objects by means of the gamma rays that come… …   Useful english dictionary

  • High Energy Gamma Ray Astronomy — HEGRA es el acrónimo del inglés High Energy Gamma Ray Astronomy o Astronomía de Rayos Gamma de Alta Energía. Fue un complejo de detectores que funcionó en el Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos en la Isla de La Palma entre 1987 y 2002, año en …   Wikipedia Español

  • High Energy Gamma Ray Astronomy — HEGRA im Jahr 1997 Zwei HEGRA Spiegel, mit dem Nordic Optic …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gamma ray — Gamma rays (denoted as gamma;) are a form of electromagnetic radiation or light emission of frequencies produced by sub atomic particle interactions, such as electron positron annihilation or radioactive decay. Gamma rays are generally… …   Wikipedia

  • Gamma ray burst — [ GRB 990123 taken on January 23, 1999. The burst is seen as a bright dot denoted by a square on the left, with an enlarged cutout on the right. The object above it with the finger like filaments is the originating galaxy. This galaxy seems to be …   Wikipedia

  • gamma ray — Physics. 1. a photon of penetrating electromagnetic radiation (gamma radiation) emitted from an atomic nucleus. 2. a photon emitted by an electron as a result of internal conversion. 3. electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than… …   Universalium

  • Gamma ray burst progenitors — are the types of celestial objects that can emit gamma ray bursts (GRBs). GRBs show an extraordinary degree of diversity. They can last anywhere from a fraction of a second to many minutes. Bursts could have a single profile or oscillate wildly… …   Wikipedia

  • X-ray astronomy — X rays start at 0.008 nm and extend across the electromagnetic spectrum to 8 nm, over which the Earth s atmosphere is opaque. X ray astronomy is an observational branch of astronomy which deals with the study of X ray observation and detection… …   Wikipedia

  • Gamma-ray burst — Optisches Nachleuchten des Gammablitzes GRB 990123 (heller Punkt im weißen Quadrat und Ausschnittsvergrößerung). Das darüberliegende gekrümmte Objekt ist die Galaxie aus der er stammt, welche wohl durch eine Kollision mit einer anderen Galaxie… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”