Gamma rays have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy of any wave in the electromagnetic spectrum. They are produced by the hottest and most energetic objects in the universe, such as neutron stars and pulsars, supernova explosions, and regions around black holes. On Earth, gamma waves are generated by nuclear explosions, lightning, and the less dramatic activity of radioactive decay. Gamma rays cannot be captured and reflected by mirrors. Gamma-ray wavelengths are so short that they can pass through the space within the atoms of a detector. Gamma-ray detectors typically contain densely packed crystal blocks. As gamma rays pass through, they collide with electrons in the crystal. This process is called Compton scattering, wherein a gamma ray strikes an electron and loses energy, similar to what happens when a cue ball strikes an eight ball. These collisions create charged particles that can be detected by the sensor. Gamma-ray bursts are the most energetic and luminous electromagnetic events since the Big Bang and can release more energy in 10 seconds than our Sun will emit in its entire 10-billion-year expected lifetime! If we could see gamma rays, the night sky would look strange and unfamiliar. The familiar view of constantly shining constellations would be replaced by ever-changing bursts of high-energy gamma radiation that last fractions of a second to minutes, popping like cosmic flashbulbs, momentarily dominating the gamma-ray sky and then fading, like the pictures above. The gamma-ray spectrometer on NASA's Mars Odyssey Orbiter detects and maps these signatures, such as this map (above) showing hydrogen concentrations of Martian surface soils. A FULL-SPECTRUM IMAGE! The image below of the Cas A supernova remnant shows the full spectrum in one image. Gamma rays from Fermi are shown in magenta; x-rays from the Chandra Observatory are blue and green. The visible light data captured by the Hubble space telescope are displayed in yellow. Infrared data from the Spitzer space telescope are shown in red; and radio data from the Very Large Array are displayed in orange. So beautiful don't you think?
24 Comments
sammi
2/5/2016 02:25:35 pm
hey hey im the first one to comment!! and sage the SPECIAL commenter!!!!
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sammi
2/6/2016 10:24:38 am
it is true sage
Dylan's
2/5/2016 02:37:58 pm
The gamma ray burst looks pretty cool
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Dylan T
2/5/2016 02:40:36 pm
That was me
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Meirah
2/5/2016 02:56:01 pm
Those Gamma Ray pictures are beautiful!
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Athena
2/5/2016 03:47:33 pm
wow those pictures are cool but there deadly
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Hailey
2/8/2016 07:06:57 am
WHY R U GUYS TALKING ABOUT ME?????????
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Eleda
2/5/2016 10:20:19 pm
I'm sooo tired! But I don't want to go to sleep!
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Braxton
2/6/2016 10:53:39 am
COOL!!!
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Brandon
2/6/2016 10:57:56 am
hi
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Meirah
2/6/2016 02:33:36 pm
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
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MAD AT MEIRAH SAMMI
2/6/2016 09:39:32 pm
OHHHHHHHH MEIRAH THAT IS MY THING!!!!! YOU CANNOT STEAL MY PEEPS!!!!! NOT COOL!!!
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Meirah
2/7/2016 01:00:25 pm
I am sooo sorry Sammi!!!!
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sammi
2/7/2016 01:06:14 pm
wow that was like five minutes ago
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sammi
2/7/2016 10:22:12 pm
its ok meirah
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aaron
2/8/2016 07:17:15 am
those gamma ray bursts are really cool
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Eleda
2/8/2016 08:29:39 am
Okay, California is really awesome! Today I'm going to DisneyLand for my first time.
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Hannah;)
2/8/2016 07:15:03 pm
sup my peeps
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |