Pick a published fast radio burst source and press Play Burst to watch the dispersion sweep - higher radio frequencies arriving before lower ones - then read the real duration, class, and dispersion-measure figures.
A fast radio burst is a millisecond-scale flash of radio waves from far outside the Milky Way. The Lorimer Burst (2007) carried a dispersion measure of 375 pc/cm^3, the signature astronomers read as a distance ruler through intergalactic plasma. FRB 121102 was the first confirmed to repeat; FRB 180916.J0158+65 repeats on a measured 16.35-day cycle, discovered by the CHIME telescope in Canada.
Drag to orbit and scroll or pinch to zoom. For a steady-state magnetic-field explorer see the Magnetar 3D Explorer; for regular lighthouse-beam timing see the Neutron Star Pulsar 3D Explorer.
Fast Radio Burst 3D Explorer
This browser explorer shows a millisecond fast radio burst travelling from a distant host galaxy to Earth, with a live frequency-vs-time waterfall plotting the dispersion sweep astronomers use to confirm a real burst.
The Lorimer Burst (2007) was the first published fast radio burst: a single flash under 5 ms with a dispersion measure of 375 pc/cm^3, found in archival Parkes 64m data. FRB 121102 was the first confirmed to repeat, with a dispersion measure of about 557 pc/cm^3 at discovery. FRB 180916.J0158+65 repeats on a measured 16.35-day activity cycle discovered by the CHIME telescope, active for about 5 days out of every cycle. In 2020 a Milky Way magnetar, SGR 1935+2154, produced the first confirmed Galactic fast radio burst, linking these flashes to magnetars for the first time.
- Pick a source: Lorimer Burst, FRB 121102, or FRB 180916.J0158+65
- Press Play Burst to watch the dispersion sweep on the waterfall panel
- Read published duration, class, and dispersion-measure figures
- Compare with the magnetar and neutron-star pulsar siblings
- Drag to orbit, scroll or pinch to zoom
- Runs fully in the browser with the vendored three.js engine - no account, no upload
| Source | Dispersion measure | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Lorimer Burst (2007) | 375 +/- 1 pc/cm^3 | One-off |
| FRB 121102 | ~557 pc/cm^3 (2014 discovery) | Repeating (first confirmed, 2016) |
| FRB 180916.J0158+65 | Not shown - see the 16.35-day activity cycle | Repeating, periodic (CHIME) |
The CHIME telescope that found the 16.35-day cycle operates at 400-800 MHz using four 20m x 100m half-cylinder reflectors at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in Canada. For a steady-state magnetic-field comparison, open the Magnetar 3D Explorer; for regular lighthouse-beam timing, open the Neutron Star Pulsar 3D Explorer.
Everything renders on your device with WebGL. The 3D engine loads once (about 0.7 MB) and is cached.
This is an educational approximation - positions and the sweep delay are compressed and exaggerated for teaching, not a radio-astronomy pipeline simulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a fast radio burst?
A millisecond-scale flash of radio waves from far outside the Milky Way. The Lorimer Burst (2007) was the first published example: under 5 ms, dispersion measure 375 pc/cm^3.
What does the dispersion measure tell you?
It is a measurable signature of how much intergalactic plasma the burst passed through. Higher radio frequencies arrive first; lower frequencies lag behind - the sweep the waterfall panel plots.
Do fast radio bursts always repeat?
No. The Lorimer Burst was a one-off. FRB 121102 (2016) was the first confirmed to repeat, and FRB 180916.J0158+65 repeats on a measured 16.35-day activity cycle found by CHIME.
Has a fast radio burst been seen inside the Milky Way?
Yes. In 2020 the magnetar SGR 1935+2154 produced FRB 200428, the first confirmed Galactic fast radio burst, linking these flashes to magnetars for the first time.
What is the CHIME telescope?
A Canadian radio telescope operating at 400-800 MHz using four 20m x 100m half-cylinder reflectors at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory - the instrument that found the 16.35-day repeating cycle.
How is this different from the magnetar and pulsar pages?
The magnetar page teaches steady-state field strength, and the pulsar page teaches regular lighthouse-beam timing. This page teaches a millisecond one-off-or-repeating flash from far outside our galaxy.
Is the sweep on this page real physics?
The sweep direction and shape are real - higher frequencies do arrive first. The exact delay is compressed and exaggerated for teaching, not a pipeline-accurate simulation.