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Credit & Copyright: NASA
Explanation:
Nine years ago the massive
Compton
Gamma Ray Observatory, the second of
NASA's space-based great observatories,
was deployed in low earth orbit.
Lofted above the protective atmosphere, Compton's instruments
could explore the extreme high-energy
Universe in
gamma rays -- photons with 100,000 times or more the
energy of visible light.
The premier gamma-ray observatory far exceeded expectations
for a two- to five-year mission, but a
recent gyroscope
failure has prompted NASA to decide to steer the satellite safely
back into the atmosphere.
Illustrated above,
the controlled re-entry will occur
early tomorrow, June 4th, in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean,
approximately 2,500 miles southeast of Hawaii.
The re-entry location,
the largest area (about 10 million square miles)
devoid of any populated land available for the observatory's re-entry,
was selected to virtually eliminate
the risk of human casualty.
Compton's lasting
legacy of discovery
will include the detection of more than 400 celestial
gamma-ray sources,
10 times more than were previously known; and
more than 2,500 gamma-ray bursts.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: CGRO - gamma ray
Publications with words: CGRO - gamma ray
See also: