Chandra X-ray Observatory
The Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) [1] is a space telescope launched by NASA on July 23, 1999.
Chandra is sensitive to X-ray sources 100 times fainter than any previous X-ray telescope. This is done by the high angular resolution of its mirrors.[2] Since the Earth's atmosphere absorbs the vast majority of X-rays, Earth-based telescopes cannot detect them. Space-based telescopes are needed to make these observations. Chandra is an Earth satellite in a 64-hour orbit, and its mission is ongoing as of 2024.
Chandra is one of the Great Observatories, with the Hubble Space Telescope, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (1991–2000), and the Spitzer Space Telescope. The telescope is named after Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.[3]
Chandra X-ray Observatory Media
Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 launches in 1999
Crew of STS-93 with a scale model
CXO image of the brown dwarf TWA 5B
Chandra X-ray space observatory of the NASA : Observatory Integration and Assembly. Optical Bench being rotated into position.
The main mirror of AXAF (Chandra)
HRC flight unit of Chandra
Labeled illustration of the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Animation of Chandra X-ray Observatory's orbit around Earth from August 7, 1999 Chandra · Earth
Jupiter in X-ray light.
References
- ↑ previously known as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF)
- ↑ Chandra X-ray Observatory Quick Facts. NASA.gov. August 1999. FS-1999-09-111-MSFC. [1] Archived 2015-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "And the co-winners are...". Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 1998. [2] Archived 2014-01-12 at the Wayback Machine