Animation of the Gamma Sky (what GLAST will see)

[Martin]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060531.html

 

GLAST means "gammaray large area space telescope"

http://glast.gsfc.nasa.gov/public/

and it is scheduled to fly in 2007

 

this is a 55 frame animation of the whole sky at once

you can see the Milkyway as a curve going across, roughly east-west.

 

there are little flashes which I guess could be gammaray bursts, or solar flares if they make gamma. I don't know much about it but I am glad to see it.

 

GLAST holds a lot of hope and also risk for Quantum Gravity researchers because it has the ability to put QG theories on trial and show that certain ones fail (because they predict wrong) and certain ones survive the test (and can go on to still further tests)

 

Even though this animation of the full sky at gamma wavelengths is no big deal, I am still happy to see it because it is news about GLAST and suggests that this space observatory is on schedule and will be ready for launch as planned. This is good news for the QG community because without testing, without some way to falsify theories, you dont really have science.