Dark Lightning - Fact or Fiction?

We all know the terrifying signs of a thunderstorm – blinding lightning, thunderous rumbling, and the torrent of rain that soon follows.

But is that all there is to it? http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/dark-lightning-fact-or-fiction/

Image Source: http://tinyurl.com/crueo4x

The Study of Gamma Ray Bursts (part II)

In a previous article, we discussed the first two major telescopes that were used to study gamma ray bursts (GMBs). These two were the Vela satellites and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO). There was a significant gap between the creation of CRGO and the creation of its successor --BeppoSAX . Ultimately, two decades passed before BepooSAX was created, but despite the rather long time frame between these two observatories, both were an integral part of the future of space telescopes. Tsvi Piran, an astrophysicist who has been at the forefront of gamma-ray burst physics for several decades, describes CGRO as being the "First Revolution" and BeppoSAX as the "Second Revolution."

To learn all about these amazing telescopes and what they did for gamma ray astronomy, see:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/grb-part-2/

Image source:
NASA

The Birth of Gamma-Ray Burst Astronomy:

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are some of the most energetic events in the universe. Unsurprisingly, they have been of great interest to the scientific community since their initial discovery in the 1960"s. GRBs are broken up into two types: Short Gamma-Ray Bursts (SGRB) and Long Gamma-Ray Bursts (LGRB). SGRB are observed bursts that are shorter than 2 seconds, and LGRB are observed bursts that are longer than 2 seconds. It was discovered in 1993 that these two subclasses of GRBs existed; however, at that time, the cause of the two different sub types was unknown.

To learn about these GRBs, see:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/the-birth-of-gamma-ray-burst-astronomy/

Image source:
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/printgallery/2004/

What are Gamma-Ray Bursts and how Did we Discover Them?

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are flashes of gamma rays (electromagnetic radiation of high frequency) that come from energetic explosions in distant galaxies. They are known to be the most radiating electromagnetic events in the Universe. The bursts can last from ten milliseconds to several minutes (a typical burst lasts 20-40 seconds). GRBs were discovered in the lats 1960s; however, this was not an intentional discovery. They were discovered by the U.S. Vela satellites that were actually built to detect gamma radiation pulses emitted by nuclear weapons tested in Space. Why? Well, the USA suspected that the USSR might attempt to conduct secret nuclear tests after signing the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.

Learn about how they were discovered at:
http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/what-are-gamma-ray-bursts-and-how-did-we-discover-them/

Image source:
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_images.jsp?cntn_id=104440&org=NSF

What would the night sky look like if we could see in all the wavelengths at once?

When responding to this question, I’m afraid I’m a little bit hindered by the human brain"s ability (or rather, its inability) to convert, process, and transform the information that it receives into images. The short answer: The universe would look like an extremely bewildering place. Unless your brain was altered so that it could interpret the new information that it was receiving, everything would be a confused and meaningless morass of color and brightness. In this case, it would probably be best to just keep your eyes closed (or maybe get fancy-fancy eye-patches).

In truth, I can no more describe what the universe would look like if we could see all the wavelengths than I can describe color to a blind person. We would (presumably) be able to perceive more/different colors if we had different kinds of receptors in our eyes. But we don’t. Which is why any pictures that show wavelengths like x-ray, infrared etc. have to be shifted into the visible spectrum. That said, I can discuss what objects in the night sky (and in the world) would appear brightest if you could see in different wavelengths. And theorizing is always fun, so let’s give it a go…

To find out what the universe would look like see: http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/what-would-the-night-sky-look-like-if-we-could-see-in-all-the-wavelengths-at-once/

Image credit: NASA