Gamma Rays

• Where Do Gamma Rays Come From? Gamma Rays are caused by some of the most energetic events in the Universe. Gamma rays are often produced in regions of extremely high temperature. Gamma rays come from solar flares (eruptions on the sun's surface), pulsars (rotating objects which regularly emit radiation), nova and super nova explosions (explosions that cause stars to become extremely bright). Like X-rays, gamma rays are also caused by the falling of material onto black holes, a process known as accretion.

• The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was launched by the Space Shuttle Atlantis of 1991 into a near Earth circular orbit.

Did you notice that scientists use orbiting spacescraft and satellites to go above the atmosphere to collect data from the shorter light wavelengths such as gamma rays, X-Rays, ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet? Take a look at this image to see how the atmosphere protects us from harmful radiation but limits the amount of information reaching astronomers.

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