The brightest light in the universe this week on planetary radio. Radio. Hi everyone, welcome to Public Radio's travel show that takes you to the final frontier.

I'm at Kaplan. You had to be pretty swift to see that

bright but short-lived light halfway across the Cosmos. In fact you had to be the

spacecraft called Swift. We'll talk with Swift's principal investigator

Neil Gerels about his unique orbiting observatory and the brightest ever

gamma-ray burst it discovered barely a month ago.

Bill Nye, the science guy, was blown away by the implosion of a star that caused that so-called

GRB.

He'll share his excitement with us in just a minute.

Later today, Emily Lockawalen will explain why Saturn beats Big Brother Jupiter in the

Ring Department and Bruce Betts will join me on location for another what's up look at the night sky waiting right outside your window.

We'll also get more than our fair share of rodent acronyms in the space trivia contest.

We are less than one month from touchdown of the first probe to visit the Martian

Arctic.

Emily's blog will show you the Phoenix LandingZone at planetary.org.

Ms. Lochuwala is also sorry to report that Mars Explwalah is also sorry to report that Mars Exploration Rover

Opportunities Arthritic shoulder is acting up.

One of several motors in the rover's arm may have failed. Engineers are analyzing the problem.

Here's Bill Nye. Hey Bill Nye the planetary guy here. Vice President

Planetary Society this week on Planetary Radio, the size of the universe!

And it's big, it's really big.

Recently, we observed what seems to be the biggest burst of light ever observed by humans.

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