* Astronomy

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RE: Chandra X-ray Observatory

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NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory Celebrates 15th Anniversary

In commemoration of the 15th anniversary of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, four newly processed images of supernova remnants dramatically illustrate Chandra's unique ability to explore high-energy processes in the cosmos
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Title: The Chandra X-Ray Observatory: Progress Report and Highlights
Authors: Martin C. Weisskopf

Over the past 13 years, the Chandra X-ray Observatory's ability to provide high resolution X-ray images and spectra have established it as one of the most versatile and powerful tools for astrophysical research in the 21st century. Chandra explores the hot, x-ray-emitting regions of the universe, observing sources with fluxes spanning more than 10 orders of magnitude, from the X-ray brightest, Sco X-1, to the faintest sources in the Chandra Deep Field South survey. Thanks to its continuing operational life, the Chandra mission now also provides a long observing baseline which, in and of itself, is opening new research opportunities. In addition, observations in the past few years have deepened our understanding of the co-evolution of supermassive black holes and galaxies, the details of black hole accretion, the nature of dark energy and dark matter, the details of supernovae and their progenitors, the interiors of neutron stars, the evolution of massive stars, and the high-energy environment of protoplanetary nebulae and even the interaction of an exo-planet with its star. Here we update the technical status, highlight some of the scientific results, and very briefly discuss future prospects. We fully expect that the Observatory will continue to provide outstanding scientific results for many years to come.

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Listening to Light

When we look up on a dark night, we see a sky filled with stars. The light from a star, like the light from a flashlight or a lightning bug, is one form of electromagnetic radiation.

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M31: NASA's Chandra Reveals Origin of Key Cosmic Explosions

Credit X-ray (NASA/CXC/MPA/M.Gilfanov & A.Bogdan), Infrared (NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC), Optical (DSS)

This composite image of M31 (also known as the Andromeda galaxy) shows X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, optical data from the Digitised Sky Survey and infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope. The Chandra data covers only the central region of M31 as shown in the inset box for the image.
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NASA's Chandra Reveals Origin of Key Cosmic Explosions

New findings from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have provided a major advance in understanding a type of supernova critical for studying the dark energy that astronomers think pervades the universe. The results show mergers of two dense stellar remnants are the likely cause of many of the supernovae that have been used to measure the accelerated expansion of the universe.
These supernovae, called Type 1a, serve as cosmic mile markers to measure expansion of the universe because they can be seen at large distances, and they follow a reliable pattern of brightness. However, until now, scientists have been unsure what actually causes the explosions.
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NASA extends life of Chandra X-ray mission

The orbiting X-ray observatory, initially built for a five-year mission in 1999, is getting a new lease on life one that could extend its mission through 2013, and possibly longer.

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NASA Extends Chandra Science and Operations Support Contract

NASA has extended a contract with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., to provide science and operational support for the Chandra X-ray Observatory, a powerful tool used to better understand the structure and evolution of the universe.
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Chandra continues to 'amaze' scientists
X-ray Observatory sent its first images 10 years ago today
Ten years ago today, the Chandra X-ray Observatory sent its "first light" - an image of a star that exploded more than 300 years ago.

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10 Years of Exploration with Chandra X-ray Observatory
NASA is preparing to celebrate the 10th anniversary of "first light" for the Chandra X-ray Observatory -- its first use to capture astronomical imagery on Aug. 19, 1999. On Aug. 12, key Chandra project leaders and researchers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Centre in Huntsville, Ala., will gather at the National Space Science & Technology Centre in Huntsville to discuss the observatory's science accomplishments and program status.

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