When there is an enormous explosion in galaxies, there could be some flashes of gamma rays released. These flashes are called the gamma ray burst. In the universe, it is the most luminous event happening. The shortest periods a burst can last milliseconds. It can last up to several minutes as well. But the typical burst only lasts for a couple of seconds. It shines a hundred more times than a supernova and approximately a million trillion times brighter than the sun.
Observed gamma ray burst is outside Milky Way. There are theories that if a gamma ray burst would occur in Milky Way, there would probably be a mass extinction in earth.
Gamma ray burst is first detected using satellites designed to sense nuclear weapon tests. These are US military satellites searching for Soviet?s nuclear testing in the atmosphere. A nuclear explosion can emit gamma rays. These satellites have gamma ray detectors and then that?s how gamma ray burst was discovered.
There are two classifications of gamma ray bursts. The long gamma ray bursts and the short gamma rays. They are classified based on the duration of the bursts. The long gamma ray bursts that lasts from two seconds or more and the short gamma ray that lasts in less than two seconds.
Gamma Ray Burst (GRB)