File:Gamma_ray_burst.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
gamma-ray burst
Sign in to saveAlso known as GRB, gamma‐ray burst, gamma-ray bursts, GRBs
flashes of gamma rays from distant galaxies
A gamma-ray burst is a sudden flash of extremely energetic radiation called gamma rays that arrives from distant galaxies in space. Scientists study these bursts because they can help us understand powerful cosmic events and the distant universe.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- astronomical phenomenon
- Subclass of
- occurrence
- Has part
- gamma ray
- Image
- Gamma ray burst.jpg
Show 4 more facts
- different from
- terrestrial gamma-ray flash
- Commons category
- Gamma-ray bursts
- topic's main category
- Category:Gamma-ray bursts
- on focus list of Wikimedia project
- Wikipedia:Vital articles/Level/4
via Wikidata · CC0
~39 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Artist's illustration showing the life of a massive star: Nuclear fusion converts lighter elements into heavier ones; when fusion no longer generates enough pressure to counteract gravity, the star collapses into a black hole. During this collapse, energy may be released as a momentary burst of gamma-rays aligned to the axis of rotation.
In gamma-ray astronomy, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are extremely energetic events occurring in distant galaxies which represent the brightest and most powerful class of explosion in the Universe. These extreme electromagnetic emissions are second only to the Big Bang as the most energetic and luminous phenomena known. Gamma-ray bursts can last from a few milliseconds to several hours. After the initial flash of gamma rays, a longer-lived afterglow is emitted, usually in the longer wavelengths of X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, microwave or radio frequencies.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “gamma-ray burst” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.