Astronomy › Section N · Gas and dust between the stars › Topic N.3
Cosmic rays
Besides gas and dust, interstellar space is crossed by atomic nuclei moving at almost the speed of light. These cosmic rays carry about as much energy, volume for volume, as all the starlight in the galaxy, and tracing them back to their sources is one of astronomy's hardest detective problems.
In this topic
- A discovery made by balloon
- Not rays at all
- A clue in the light elements
- Worked example: one very energetic particle
- Air showers
- Why their sources are hidden
- Worked example: how much does the galaxy bend them?
- Where do they come from?
- Why cosmic rays matter
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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