Personally, I don't think there's intelligent life on other planets. Why should other planets be any different from this one?
— Bob Monkhouse
I was busy in Michigan this week...didn't notice the big glow in the sky LOL...
But here's a several billion year old gamma burst that occured well before the Earth existed!
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/21mar_nakedeye.htm?list880574
Astrophotography equipment