Huge gamma-ray blast spotted 12.2 bln light-years from earth

AFP via Yahoo ^ | Feb 19

[rdl6989]

I thought you might be interested in this. Ping.

[Darkwolf377]

Bruce Banner, please seek underground shelter.

[unkus]

Wow. Thanks for posting. We need to send Algore out to investigate.

[libh8er]

Somewhere in a galaxy far far away...

[Lorianne]

Uh oh, will that toast our icebergs when it reaches here?

Gamma ray alert!

[microgood]

The spectacular blast, which occurred in September in the Carina constellation, produced energies ranging from 3,000 to more than five billion times that of visible light, astrophysicists said.

The actual blast did not occur in September, we saw it in September. Since it is 12.2 Billion light years away, that must mean this happened billions of years ago. Is that correct?

[americanophile]

12.2 billion light years away"

Unfathomable.

[rdl6989]

That’s what I thought. It happened 12 billion years ago. I thought these things were supposed to be detrimental to radios etc.

[null and void]

Yes.

[Praxeologue]

The spectacular blast, which occurred in September

The event occurred at least 12.2 billion years ago.

Few journalists earn their pay.

[microgood]

That’s what I thought. It happened 12 billion years ago. I thought these things were supposed to be detrimental to radios etc.

Maybe we are so far away from this one that the effects are diluted. I am thinking since the universe is expanding and this is currently 12.2 billion light years, it may not be that old because it used to be closer, although I would not have any idea how to calculate such a thing.

[rdl6989]

I read somewhere that experts believe that the universe is around 15 billion years old. It really does boggle the mind to think about it.

[max americana]

HULK SMASH!!...Obama..aaarhhh

[Darkwolf377]

Obama? BAH! Puny human!

[max americana]

He’s no “human”. He’s the villain called Magic Negro.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Rove, you magnificent bastard.

[Darkwolf377]

Wrong, wrong, wrong, he’s the villain from outside America known as “Weapon O” aka “Elephant Ears,” kind of a low-budget Wolverine knock-off. I still have the issue where “EE” as we kids used to call him first appeared.

It sold at a 25 cent cover price, and now goes on ebay for as much as 13 cents.

[21twelve]

“Maybe we are so far away from this one that the effects are diluted.”

Actually - a telescope of this size “looks out” to a distance of about 3 light years. So, with this thing coming straight at us at the speed of light it will impact earth in 2012. Perhaps the Aztec WERE onto something.

...Okay - just kidding. Obviously a telescope can only observe light that is impacting its lens. (Heck - this was probably a radiotelescope anyway!) Which would work the same way.

The one I get concerned about is the satellite we have parked between us and the sun (SOHO I think it is called?)that monitors sun flares, etc. Can see the “kill shot” coming and gives us 18 minutes (or whatever) of warning.

[microgood]

Actually - a telescope of this size “looks out” to a distance of about 3 light years. So, with this thing coming straight at us at the speed of light it will impact earth in 2012. Perhaps the Aztec WERE onto something.

Actually it was the Mayans (we went to Cancun over Christmas) long count calendar.

The one I get concerned about is the satellite we have parked between us and the sun (SOHO I think it is called?)that monitors sun flares, etc. Can see the “kill shot” coming and gives us 18 minutes (or whatever) of warning.

So I guess you are saying these gamma rays aren't diluted at all. Yikes.