Hi Mike, My understanding that some light is given off in all directions but that most of the light goes into two focused beams, one emanating from each pole. Someone from NASA/Goddard contacted me about this saying he thought a possible reason it was so bright was that we did happen to be in one of the two beams generated by the GRB. So I guess we're lucky it was not closer as a direct hit by such a beam from close up could end most life on Earth (and I'd just as soon my name not be associated with such a beam... <g> ). patrick On 07 May 2013, at 06:43, M Wilson wrote:
I have a question. According to the article "The collapse of the star's core triggers jets of relativistic matter so powerful that they bore outward through the star and into the surrounding space." Are those jets of matter leaving the star in all directions or in just two (thru the former star's north and south magnetic poles)? I always thought it was the latter and, if so, that would mean that we were in the line of fire from one of those jets.