NASA | Highlights of Swift's Decade of Discovery

NASA's Swift satellite, launched in 2004, has significantly advanced our understanding of high-energy cosmic phenomena. It has observed gamma ray bursts, X-ray flares, and black holes, contributing to discoveries like ultra long gamma ray bursts and neutron star phenomena. Swift's versatility in using ultraviolet, optical, and X-ray telescopes has made it a vital tool in astronomy, providing insights into the universe's most energetic and rapidly changing events.

What unique capability does Swift have that allows it to quickly locate high-energy outbursts?

• It can communicate with aliens.

• It can travel faster than light.

• It has a built-in gamma-ray detector.

• It uses ultraviolet, optical, and X-ray telescopes.

What is the primary target of NASA's Swift satellite?

• Comets

• Solar flares

• Asteroids

• Gamma-ray bursts

What did Swift discover on September 16th, 2012?

• A new planet

• A supernova

• A rapidly brightening X-ray source

• A new comet

What was significant about the stellar explosion discovered on January 21st, 2014?

• It was the first explosion ever recorded.

• It was the largest explosion in the universe.

• It was exceptionally close, located about 12 million light years away.

• It was visible only through radio waves.

What new class of gamma-ray bursts did Swift help establish?

• Micro gamma-ray bursts

• Hyper gamma-ray bursts

• Short gamma-ray bursts

• Ultra-long gamma-ray bursts

What record-setting observation did Swift make in April 2013?

• The longest gamma-ray burst

• The highest energy light from a GRB

• The fastest moving asteroid

• The closest black hole

What did Swift's observations reveal about neutron stars?

• They are always found in pairs.

• They are the largest stars in the universe.

• They contain some of the densest matter in the universe.

• They are made of gas.