When the space-based Swift observatory first opened its telescopic eyes, it was greeted by a cacophony of the most powerful explosions in the universe.

Equipped with three different science tools, Swift hunts for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) using a detection instrument - the aptly-named Burst Alert Telescope - then follows up the find with observations from an onboard X-ray telescope and another instrument capable to observe at ultraviolet and optical wavelengths.

In this image, Swift's X-ray telescope observes the remnants of the Cassiopeia A supernova during first light observations. Little more than the remains of hot gas, the remnant is the result of a stellar explosion that detonated in 1680. Here, varying X-ray wavelengths have been color-coded to highlight different energy levels.

The lowest energy levels, appearing in red, are primarily emitted by iron-rich materials while the medium-level emissions (shown in green) emanate from silicon-rich substances, NASA officials said. The highest X-ray energy levels are shown in blue, they added.

The Swift mission is a cooperative effort led by NASA and operated under a partnership with the Italian Space Agency and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council of the United Kingdom.

·         Catching Cosmic Bangs: NASA’s Swift Observatory to Hunt for Gamma-Ray Bursts

-- SPACE.com Staff