Chandra Helps Put The Pieces Together On Gamma-Ray Bursts

Chandra_192_1024

chandra_192 November 3rd, 2000

Credit: NASA/CNR/L.Piro et al.

An international team of researchers used the Chandra X-ray Observatory to detect never-before-seen properties in the X-ray afterglow of a gamma-ray burst (GRB). GRBs are mysterious blasts of high-energy radiation, believed to be the most powerful explosions in the universe. Chandra's latest discovery of iron emission lines from the ejected material surrounding GRB991216 strengthens the case for a "hypernova" model for GRBs. In this theory, GRBs are caused by massive stars that collapse under their own weight, releasing gigantic amounts of energy.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2000/0596/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

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Image Details

Image Type
Collage
Object Name
GRB 991216
Subject - Distant Universe
Cosmology > Phenomenon > Gamma Ray Burst

Distance

Universescale3
8,000,000,000 light years

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 5h 9m 31.2s
DEC = 11° 17’ 6.0”
Constellation
Orion

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Pseudocolor Chandra (ACIS/HETG) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
DatasetID is the Chandra observation ID
Spectrum_xray1
Pseudocolor
Chandra_192_1280
×
ID
192
Subject Category
D.6.2.2  
Subject Name
GRB 991216
Credits
NASA/CNR/L.Piro et al.
Release Date
2000-11-03
Lightyears
8,000,000,000
Redshift
8,000,000,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2000/0596/
Type
Collage
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra
Instrument
ACIS/HETG
Color Assignment
Pseudocolor
Band
X-ray
Bandpass
X-ray
Central Wavelength
0.8267
Start Time
1999-12-18
Integration Time
Dataset ID
596
Notes
D
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
77.38, 11.285
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-ray Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
Grb991216_scale.tif
Metadata Date
2011-01-31
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
8,000,000,000 light years

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