Astronomers have detected the highest-energy light ever seen,
streaming in from near the center of the Milky Way. Hundreds of gamma ray signals were detected with ultra-high energies, with the most powerful signals crossing the Peta-electronvolt (PeV) threshold - much higher than thought possible in our galaxy.
Gamma rays are the most energetic type of electromagnetic radiation, released during extreme events like supernovae, matter-antimatter annihilation, and the activity of objects like pulsars. They re often detected with energies in the Giga-electrovolt (GeV) range, but
they ve been known to occasionally top the Tera-electronvolt (TeV) mark, which is 1,000 GeV.
In 2019, the Crab Nebula stole the crown for most energetic gamma rays ever detected, at 100 TeV. That was considered pretty close to the upper limit for how energetic sources could ever get in our Milky Way - but now that ceiling has been utterly shattered.
Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) located at Sichuan, China, detected dozen Ultra-high Energy gamma-ray sources, opening a new window into the γ-ray sky.
New observations help astronomers hone in on a long-standing mystery about where cosmic rays come from.
The Crab Nebula is one source of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
(Image credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University))
A century-old celestial mystery is one step closer to being solved as researchers discover a dozen ultra-powerful natural particle accelerators in our galaxy.
The findings help astronomers understand the origin of cosmic rays charged particles and atomic nuclei flying through space at near light speed that have been imbued with mind-boggling amounts of energy.
Discovered in 1912, cosmic rays arrive from almost every direction in the Milky Way, though scientists have yet to determine exactly how they reach their ultra-fast speeds,
Gamma rays 10 times more energetic than thought possible detected
High energy gamma rays have been detected coming from the Milky Way center
Astronomers have detected the highest-energy light ever seen, streaming in from near the center of the Milky Way. Hundreds of gamma ray signals were detected with ultra-high energies, with the most powerful signals crossing the Peta-electronvolt (PeV) threshold – much higher than thought possible in our galaxy.
Gamma rays are the most energetic type of electromagnetic radiation, released during extreme events like supernovae, matter-antimatter annihilation, and the activity of objects like pulsars. They’re often detected with energies in the Giga-electrovolt (GeV) range, but they’ve been known to occasionally top the Tera-electronvolt (TeV) mark, which is 1,000 GeV.