News From the Field
Blast From the Past Offers Clues About Early Universe

October 28, 2009

Astronomers using the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope have gained insight into the nature of the most distant object ever observed in the universe--a gigantic stellar explosion known as a gamma ray burst (GRB). The explosion was first detected on April 23, 2009 by NASA's Swift satellite, and scientists soon realized that it was more than 13 billion light-years from Earth. Full Story

Source
National Radio Astronomy Laboratory (NRAO)

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2009, its budget is $9.5 billion, which includes $3.0 billion provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to over 1,900 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 44,400 competitive requests for funding, and makes over 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards over $400 million in professional and service contracts yearly.

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