Fermi uses gamma rays to unearth clues about
Friday, April 20, 2012 - 09:01
in Astronomy & Space
The SLAC-built Large Area Telescope (LAT), the main instrument of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, has been studying the gamma-ray sky for almost four years. During that time, the LAT has identified hundreds of gamma-ray sources, including pulsars and active galactic nuclei. It has shown that the Crab Nebula isn't the steady emitter of gamma rays it's long been thought to be. The LAT has catalogued lightning in the Earth's atmosphere and flares on the sun.