http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vJ69qupGM0&feature=relatedSGR J1550-5418 is a gamma-ray repeater , the sixth to be discovered, located in the constellation Norma. Long known as an X-ray source, it was noticed to became active on 23 October 2008, and then after a relatively quiescent interval
It has been observed to emit intense bursts of gamma rays at a rate of up to several per minute. At its estimated distance of 30,000 light years (~10 kpc) There is doubt that this may be as close as 6kpc
The rotation period, ~2.07 s, is the fastest yet observed for a magnetar.
The first observation of "Light echos" from a gamma-ray source, a phenomenon long known for visible stars such as novas,Ionospheric Events have been noted from these burst
SGR J1550-5418 (former AXP 1E 1547.0-5408)
Topic: Gamma Ray interacts Earth (Read 4271 times)
