gamma ray bursts

Gamma ray bursts are powerful explosions in space, which release gamma waves. 

But what are gamma waves? You see there are various frequencies and wavelengths of lights. Gamma waves have the highest frequency and lowest wavelengths. 

Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are the second most powerful explosions in the universe, coming after, of course the big bang. 

They are mainly of two types.

Short GRB- These occur when objects like two neutron stars merge. They are shorter than two seconds.

Long GRB- they occur when a star collapses into a black hole.

The short shining, gamma waves are followed by the emitting of  longer glowing rays such as UV rays, microwave, infrared, X ray, etc. This glow could stay around for some days, weeks or even years if we are lucky.

Now, how do we detect these.

As you can see, they are very further to the range of the lights we can see. So one of the ways could be by detected by observing the afterglow of a GRB. But one of the interesting things is that the time we actually detect them, millions of years could have passed, because lights takes time to reach here.

But what if we not lucky enough every time and the afterglow does not last that long? What would we do in that scenario?

Well, if that is the case, then scientist use sophisticated instruments to detect them by their gravitational activies and the gravitational waves they create. If you wish to learn more about gravitational waves, then I also have post about them which you can find here.