Viewing the Universe in a Different Light

What does the universe look like in gamma rays?

The sky maps below show the entire sky as seen from Earth.

Gamma-ray sky map

Gamma Ray, wavelength: >0.0000000012 cm (0.12 Angstroms)
(Courtesy of NASA)
This map, produced by the Compton Observatory, shows the universein gamma rays.

Compare the above map to maps of the universe in other wavelengths:

X-ray sky

X-ray, wavelength: 0.000000062 cm -- 0.000000012 cm (6.2-1.2 Angstroms)
(Courtesy of the Yohkoh team)

Visible sky

Visible Light, wavelength: 0.00005 cm (5000 Angstroms)
(Courtesy of Lund Observatory)


Infrared Sky

Infrared Light, wavelength: 0.00025 cm (2.5 microns)
(Courtesy of NASA)

Radio Sky

Radio, wavelength: 73.5 cm (408 MHz)
(Courtesy of MPIfR compilation, Bonn)


A service of the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics at Goddard Space Flight Center

Technical Rep: Jay Norris
Web Curator: J.D. Myers

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Viewing The Violent Universe was created by
Joslyn Schoemer, Stephanie Leitner and Tom Chi.

Questions and comments may be sent to Joslyn Schoemer at jschoemer@challenger.org.