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Beethoven Burst

Event type	Gamma-ray burst
Constellation	Orion
Redshift	1.02
Other designations	GRB 991216
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GRB 991216, nicknamed the Beethoven Burst by Dr. Brad Schaefer of Yale University, was a gamma-ray burst observed on December 16, 1999, coinciding with the 229th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's birth. A gamma-ray burst is a highly luminous flash associated with an explosion in a distant galaxy and producing gamma rays, the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation, and often followed by a longer-lived "afterglow" emitted at longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and radio).

Overview

The optical afterglow of the burst reached an apparent magnitude of 18.7, making the Beethoven Burst one of the brightest bursts ever detected, even though it occurred about 10 billion light years from Earth. Frank Marshall, a NASA astrophysicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, commented that "this was by far the brightest burst we have detected in a long time." The burst's peak flux ranked it as the second most powerful burst that the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) had ever detected. The analysis of the observations strengthened the theory that gamma-ray bursts are a result of a hypernova, though other possible progenitors exist, such as the merger of two black holes.

Within four hours of the burst's detection, observations made by BATSE and the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer were able to determine the burst's position of α = 77.38 ± 0.04, δ = 11.30 ± 0.05. This rapid determination allowed astronomers to conduct follow-up studies using optical and X-ray telescopes. Other instruments which detected GRB 991216 included the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the MDM Observatory, and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. This was the first use of the Chandra X-ray Observatory for the purpose of gamma-ray burst detection.

References

1. ^ "Gamma-ray astronomers get a special star on their Christmas tree". Science.nasa.gov. 1996-09-24. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
2. "Gamma-ray Burst 991216". Mpe.mpg.de. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
3. "The Universe Lights Up on Beethoven's Birthday". Imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
4. Garnavich, Peter M.; et al. (1 November 2000). "RJK Band Observations of the Optical Afterglow of GRB 991216". Astrophysical Journal. 543 (1): 61–65. arXiv:astro-ph/0003429. Bibcode:2000ApJ...543...61G. doi:10.1086/317102.
5. "Chandra :: Photo Album :: GRB 991216 :: 03 Nov 00". Chandra.harvard.edu. Archived from the original on 12 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
6. Takeshima, T.; et al. (1999). "GRB 991216--Summary of RXTE Observations". NASA. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
7. ^ "The Universe Lights Up on Beethoven's Birthday". NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. 30 December 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
8. Fruchter, Andy. "HST/STIS Images of GRB 991216". Space Telescope Science Institute. Retrieved 18 March 2010.

v t e Constellation of Orion
List of stars in Orion Orion in Chinese astronomy Orion molecular cloud complex Orion's Belt Orion's Sword
Stars	Bayer α (Betelgeuse) β (Rigel) γ (Bellatrix) δ (Mintaka) ε (Alnilam) ζ (Alnitak) η (Algjebba) θ A B C D E F G H θ ι (Hatysa) κ (Saiph) λ (Meissa) μ ν ξ ο ο π π π (Tabit) π π π ρ σ τ υ (Thabit) φ φ χ χ ψ ψ ω Flamsteed 5 6 (g) 11 13 14 (i) 15 16 (h) 18 21 22 (o) 23 (m) 27 (p) 29 (e) 31 32 (A) 33 35 38 42 (c) 45 49 (d) 51 (b) 52 55 56 57 59 60 63 64 66 68 69 (f) 71 72 (f) 73 74 (k) 75 (l) Variable S U W UX VV BF BM DN FU GW V380 V883 V1005 V1149 V1201 V1352 V2247 V2254 V2384 HR 1759 1763 1874 1887 1952 1988 2007 2024 2251 2275 HD 33636 34445 37320 37605 42618 43317 290327 Other 4U 0614+091 CVSO 30 CWISE J0506+0738 Gliese 179 Gliese 205 Gliese 208 Gliese 221 GJ 3379 HOPS 383 LP 658-2 PDS 110 S Ori 52 S Ori 70 WISE J0457−0207 WISE J0521+1025
Exoplanets HD 34445 b HD 37605 b HD 38529 b HD 290327 b
Star clusters	NGC 1662 1980 1981 2169 2175 2194 2202 Other Lambda Orionis Cluster Trapezium Cluster (θ)
Nebulae	NGC 1788 1999 2022 2023 2064 2067 2071 2174 Other Abell 12 Abell 13 Barnard 30 Becklin–Neugebauer Object Flame Nebula HH 1/2 HH 24-26 HH 34 HH 111 Horsehead Nebula IC 434 IC 2118 LDN 1641 McNeil's Nebula Messier 43 Messier 78 Orion Nebula
Galaxies	NGC 1683 1819 1924 2110 2119 Other 4C +09.17 CGCG 396-2 II Zwicky 28 PKS 0458-020 TXS 0506+056
Astronomical events GRB 991216
Category

v t e Ludwig van Beethoven
List of compositions
Life	Birthplace Relationship with contemporaries Mozart Death Heiligenstadt Testament Immortal Beloved Concert of 22 December 1808
Music	Relationship with C minor Collected edition Musical style Compositional method Works catalogs WoO Biamonti Catalogue
Memorials	Beethoven Hall Beethovenhalle Beethoven House List of sculptures Berlin Bonn Mexico City New York and San Francisco
Depictions	Mähler's portraits Beethoven with the Manuscript of the Missa Solemnis Eroica (1949 film) Immortal Beloved (1994 film) Eroica (2003 film) Copying Beethoven (2006 film) Other films
Family	Johann (father) Maria (mother) Kaspar (brother) Johann (brother) Ludwig (grandfather) Johanna (sister-in-law) Karl (nephew)
Related	1815 Beethoven Birthplace of Beethoven's mother Beethoven Peninsula Beethoven quadrangle / Beethoven crater Beethoven Burst Beethoven Frieze Beethoven Project Trio Beethoven Quartet Society British première of Symphony No. 9 Eroica Peninsula Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies Three Bs
Category

• Gamma-ray bursts
• Astronomical objects discovered in 1999
• December 1999 events
• Orion (constellation)