Nope. GRBs emit a lot of light at wavelengths other than gamma rays. The counterparts at other wavelengths actually last a lot longer than the very brief burst of gamma rays, and are how we know most of what we know about GRBs.
"I swear that looks like a gamma ray burst. A pulse of energy so mind-shatteringly vast in scope, so hideously, monstrously gargantuan in power, it could boil the atmospheres of a million planets, snuff out suns like they were matches in a hurricane! Tell me you saw that!"
1e48 joules. Um. Total solar conversion would be 2e30 kg * 1e17 J/kg = 1e47 J. So, total conversion of a *big* star.
I think I remember they used to say "GRBs are huge amounts of energy, assuming it's a sphere. Maybe it's beams pointed at us, that wouldn't be so bad." This article seemed to be assuming beams, though.
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james_davis_nicoll) wrote2008-03-20 12:25 pm
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"What?"
"Out the window. That, up there."
"That's an airplane."
"No, no, there! see? Look. Right there!"
"Get back... you're standing over my lunch!"
"I swear that looks like a gamma ray burst. A pulse of energy so mind-shatteringly vast in scope, so hideously, monstrously gargantuan in power, it could boil the atmospheres of a million planets, snuff out suns like they were matches in a hurricane! Tell me you saw that!"
"If you get dandruff in my soup, so help me..."
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joules not ergs!
I think I remember they used to say "GRBs are huge amounts of energy, assuming it's a sphere. Maybe it's beams pointed at us, that wouldn't be so bad." This article seemed to be assuming beams, though.
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