Swift satellite; Supernova 2008D
An X-ray image (left) of the exploding star in galaxy NGC 2770 that became Supernova 2008D and a visible-light image (right) of Supernova 2008D captured by the Swift satellite, January 2008.
Swift
United States satellite observatory
Also known as: Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
Swift, U.S. satellite observatory designed to swing into the proper orientation to catch the first few seconds of gamma-ray bursts. It was launched on November 20, 2004. Swift had a gamma-ray telescope that makes the first detection of a gamma-ray burst. The spacecraft was moved so that the gamma-ray burst could be observed by an X-ray telescope and an ultraviolet-optical telescope. Sixty seconds after the first gamma rays are observed, the X-ray telescope produced a...
Discover the world with Britannica
Subscribe to Continue Reading
Free Trial
|
No Ads
|
Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
