Historical Events tagged with "gamma-ray"

Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.

Space Exploration

Brightest Extrasolar Radiation Event Observed

December 27th, 2004 20 years ago

In December, an enormous burst of X-ray radiation emanated from the magnetar SGR 1806-20, reaching Earth with unmatched brightness. This remarkable cosmic occurrence dazzled astronomers and provided unprecedented insights into magnetars, which are neutron stars with incredibly strong magnetic fields. The explosion is noted for being the brightest extrasolar event ever recorded, captivating scientists globally due to its intensity and rarity, highlighting the extraordinary power of such celestial phenomena.

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Space Exploration

Launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-37

April 5th, 1991 33 years ago

The Space Shuttle Atlantis launched on its STS-37 mission to deploy the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, a key instrument for studying gamma-ray astronomy. The shuttle lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying a crew of five astronauts led by Commander Frank Culbertson. The deployment of the observatory marked a significant advancement in high-energy astrophysics, allowing scientists to observe celestial phenomena in the gamma-ray spectrum. This mission contributed valuable data that enhanced our understanding of the universe's high-energy processes.

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