GRB 970228 was a gamma-ray burst (GRB) detected on February 28, 1997 at 02:58 UTC. A gamma-ray burst is a highly luminous flash of gamma rays, the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation. Since 1993, physicists had predicted these bursts to be followed by a longer-lived afterglow at longer wavelengths, such as radio waves, x-rays, and even visible light. Until this event, GRBs had only been observed at gamma wavelengths. This was the first burst for which an afterglow was observed. The burst had multiple peaks in its light curve and lasted approximately 80 seconds. Peculiarities in the light curve of GRB 970228 suggested that a supernova may have occurred as well. The position of the burst coincided with a galaxy at a redshift of z = 0.695, providing early evidence that GRBs occur well beyond the Milky Way.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GRB_970228

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1147:

Reconquista: Forces under King Afonso I of Portugal captured Lisbon from the Moors after a four-month siege in what would be one of their only successes during the Second Crusade. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Lisbon

1616:

The Dutch sailing ship Eendracht reached Shark Bay on the western coastline of Australia, as documented on the Hartog Plate etched by explorer Dirk Hartog. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eendracht_%281615_ship%29

1854:

Charge of the Light Brigade: Lord Cardigan led his cavalry to disaster in the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade

1922:

The Third Dáil adopted the Constitution of the Irish Free State, based on the requirements of the Anglo-Irish Treaty establishing the first independent Irish state to be recognised by the British. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_Irish_Free_State

1924:

The Zinoviev Letter, later found to be a forgery, was published in the Daily Mail, helping to ensure the British Labour Party's defeat in the UK general election four days later. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinoviev_Letter

1971:

The UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, replacing the Republic of China with the People's Republic of China as China's representative at the United Nations. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_and_the_United_Nations

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

abigeat (n): (archaic) Theft of cattle in herds http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/abigeat

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

This day is call'd — the feast of Crispian:

He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,

And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and sees old age,

Will yearly on the vigil feast his friends, And say, "To-morrow is Saint Crispian;"

Then will he strip his sleeve, and show his scars, And say, "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."

Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he'll remember, with advantages,

What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words, —

Harry the King, Bedford, and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,

Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. This story shall the good man teach his son;

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by

From this day to the ending of

the world,

But we in it shall be remember'd, — We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me, Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,

This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England, now a-bed,

Shall think themselves accurs'd, they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap, whiles any speaks,

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. King Henry V as portrayed in

Henry V by --William Shakespeare http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare