CGRO

CGRO (Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory), one of NASA's Great Observatories, studied the gamma-ray sky using four telescopes that detected different energies. The mission found a class of active galaxies called blazars, mapped the Milky Way’s distribution of a radioactive isotope of aluminum, and hinted at gamma-ray bursts’ cosmological origins, among other discoveries.

past Mission

Type

Space observatory

Launch

April 5, 1991

Wavelength

Gamma rays

Decommissioned

June 4, 2000

Learn more about CGRO
NASA's Compton Gamma Ray Observatory just before release from the space shuttle Atlantis on April 7, 1991, during the STS-37 mission. Compton's successful career ended in June 2000 when the observatory reentered Earth's atmosphere.
Credit: NASA/MSFC
Featured Story

NASA Celebrates 25 Years of Breakthrough Gamma-ray Science

Twenty-five years ago this week, NASA launched the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, an astronomical satellite that transformed our knowledge of…

Read the Story

CGRO Stories

Explore All CGRO Stories
Article
3 min read

Sols 4368-4369: The Colors of Fall – and Mars

A grayscale photograph of the Martian surface shows, in the foreground, medium gray soil that looks like wind-blown sand dunes, with a few rounded, medium-sized rocks poking up from the ground. Beyond this area, and covering the upper half of the frame in this circular image, is much more rocky terrain, with both sharp and rounded rocks of all sizes covering the ground.
Article
2 min read

NASA, SpaceX Illustrate Key Moments of Artemis Lunar Lander Mission

1 min read

STS-129 Crew Aboard the Space Station

Image Article
2 min read

Media Invited to Learn About NASA, GE Aerospace Contrails Flight Tests

News Release
5 min read

NASA’s Chandra, Hubble Tune Into ‘Flame-Throwing’ Guitar Nebula

Article15 hours ago
Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

James Webb Space Telescope

The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion. Speckled across both portions is a starfield, showing innumerable stars of many sizes. The smallest of these are small, distant, and faint points of light. The largest of these appear larger, closer, brighter, and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes. The upper portion of the image is blueish, and has wispy translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below. The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque. The stars vary in color, the majority of which have a blue or orange hue. The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges, peaks, and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range. Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view.

Perseverance Rover

Parker Solar Probe

Juno