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Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory

Space-Based Observatories

A NASA space telescope launched in 2004 and designed to rapidly slew toward gamma-ray bursts within seconds of detecting them, then observe the fading afterglow across X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavelengths. Renamed in 2018 for its long-time principal investigator Neil Gehrels, it remains a leading instrument for time-critical, rapid-response astronomy.

Facts
Classification
Observing Band
Gamma-ray 1
Operational
from 2004 2
Connections

Operated By

Penn State is the science-operations partner, not a matching agency entity in this atlas.

Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationOperated By: NASA, Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
Quote, Operated By: NASA, Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
Operator: NASA / Pennsylvania State University
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2. Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Wikipedia)
  • Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, Wikipedia - lead section, observing band (gammaray)
    The burst detection rate is 100 per year, with a sensitivity ~3 times greater than the BATSE detector aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.
  • Article text: start of operations
    It was launched on 20 November 2004, aboard a Delta II launch vehicle.
  • In Group: X-ray and Gamma-Ray Space Observatories, Lead sentence
    Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, previously called the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer, is a NASA three-instrument space observatory for studying gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and monitoring the afterglow in X-ray and UV/visible light at the location of a burst.
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