Astronomy Picture of the Day:
1995-08-11
The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory

Image of The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
The explanation of the Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) was the most massive instrument ever launched by a NASA Space Shuttle and continues to revolutionize gamma-ray astronomy. This orbiting observatory sees the sky in gamma-ray photons - light so blue humans can't see it. These photons are blocked by the Earth's atmosphere from reaching the Earth's surface. Results from CGRO have shown the entire universe to be a violent and rapidly changing place - when viewed in gamma-rays. Astronomers using CGRO data continue to make monumental discoveries, including showing that mysterious flashes of gamma-rays are much more powerful than previously imagined, discovery of a whole new class of QSO, and discovery of objects so strange that astronomers can't yet figure out what they are.

APOD Project
Stunning celestial snapshots.
Developed by Filip Humbal
Open Source on GitHub