The Chandra X-ray Observatory, previously known as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), is a space telescope launched

on STS- ! by "ASA on #uly $!, % & Chandra is sensitive to X-ray sources %'' ti(es )ainter than any previous X-ray telescope, enabled by the hi*h an*ular resolution o) its (irrors& Since the +arth,s at(osphere absorbs the vast (a-ority o) X-rays, they are not detectable )ro( +arth-based telescopes. there)ore space-based telescopes are re/uired to (ake these observations& Chandra is an +arth satellite in a 01-hour orbit, and its (ission is on*oin* as o) $'%1& Chandra is one o) the 2reat Observatories, alon* with the 3ubble Space Telescope, Co(pton 2a((a 4ay Observatory (% %5$'''), and the Spit6er Space Telescope& Chandra has been described as bein* as revolutionary to astrono(y as 2alileo,s )irst telescope&7$8 Contents % 3istory $ 9iscoveries ! Technical description !&% :nstru(ents 1 See also ; 4e)erences 0 Further readin* < +=ternal links 3istory :n % <0 the Chandra X-ray Observatory (called AXAF at the ti(e) was proposed to "ASA by 4iccardo 2iacconi and 3arvey Tananbau(& >reli(inary work be*an the )ollowin* year at ?arshall Space Fli*ht Center (?SFC) and the S(ithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO)& :n the (eanti(e, in % <@, "ASA launched the )irst i(a*in* X-ray telescope, +instein (3+AO-$), into orbit& Aork continued on the AXAF pro-ect throu*hout the % @'s and % 's& :n % $, to reduce costs, the spacecra)t was redesi*ned& Four o) the twelve planned (irrors were eli(inated, as were two o) the si= scienti)ic instru(ents& AXAF,s planned orbit was chan*ed to an elliptical one, reachin* one third o) the way to the ?oon,s at its )arthest point& This eli(inated the possibility o) i(prove(ent or repair by the space shuttle but put the observatory above the +arth,s radiation belts )or (ost o) its orbit& AXAF was asse(bled and tested by T4A (now "orthrop 2ru((an Aerospace Syste(s) in 4edondo Beach, Cali)ornia& AXAF was rena(ed Chandra as part o) a contest held by "ASA in % @, which drew (ore than 0,''' sub(issions worldwide&7!8 The contest winners, #atila van der Ceen and Tyrel #ohnson (then a hi*h school teacher and hi*h school student, respectively), su**ested the na(e in honor o) "obel-pri6e winnin* :ndian-A(erican astrophysicist Subrah(anyan Chandrasekhar& 3e is known )or his work in deter(inin* the (a=i(u( (ass o) white dwar) stars, leadin* to *reater understandin* o) hi*h ener*y astrono(ical pheno(ena such as neutron stars and black holes&718

Ori*inally scheduled to be launched in 9ece(ber % @,7!8 the spacecra)t was delayed several (onths, eventually bein* launched in #uly % by Space Shuttle Colu(bia durin* STS- !& At $$,<;! kilo*ra(s (;',%0$ lb), it was the heaviest payload ever launched by the shuttle, a conse/uence o) the two-sta*e :nertial Dpper Sta*e booster rocket syste( needed to transport the spacecra)t to its hi*h orbit& Crew o) STS- ! with a scale (odel STS- ! launches in % Chandra has been returnin* data since the (onth a)ter it launched& :t is operated by the SAO at the Chandra X-ray Center in Ca(brid*e, ?assachusetts, with assistance )ro( ?:T and "orthrop 2ru((an Space Technolo*y& The AC:S CC9s su))ered particle da(a*e durin* early radiation belt passa*es& To prevent )urther da(a*e, the instru(ent is now re(oved )ro( the telescope,s )ocal plane durin* passa*es& Althou*h Chandra was initially *iven an e=pected li)eti(e o) ; years, on 1 Septe(ber $''% "ASA e=tended its li)eti(e to %' years Ebased on the observatory,s outstandin* results&E7;8 >hysically Chandra could last (uch lon*er& A study per)or(ed at the Chandra X-ray Center indicated that the observatory could last at least %; years&708 :n #uly $''@, the :nternational X-ray Observatory, a -oint pro-ect between +SA, "ASA and #AXA, was proposed as the ne=t (a-or X-ray observatory but was later cancelled&7<8 +SA later resurrected the pro-ect as the Advanced Telescope )or 3i*h +ner*y Astrophysics (AT3+"AF) with a proposed launch in $'$@&7@8 9iscoveries Tycho Supernova re(nant in =-ray li*ht S" $''0*y (upper ri*ht) and its parent *ala=y "2C %$0' (lower le)t) in )alse color as observed throu*h the Chandra X-4ay Observatory& :n this i(a*e o) >S4 B%;' -;@, the lowest ener*y X-rays that Chandra detects are red, the (ediu( ran*e is *reen, and the (ost ener*etic ones are colored blue& X-rays )ro( #upiter& The data *athered by Chandra has *reatly advanced the )ield o) X-ray astrono(y& The )irst li*ht i(a*e, o) supernova re(nant Cassiopeia A, *ave astrono(ers their )irst *li(pse o) the co(pact ob-ect at the center o) the re(nant, probably a neutron star or black hole& (>avlov, et al&, $''') :n the Crab "ebula, another supernova re(nant, Chandra showed a never-be)ore-seen rin* around the central pulsar and -ets that had only been partially seen by earlier telescopes& (Aeisskop), et al&, $''') The )irst X-ray e(ission was seen )ro( the super(assive black hole, Sa*ittarius AG, at the center o) the ?ilky Aay& (Ba*ano)), et al&, $''%) Chandra )ound (uch (ore cool *as than e=pected spiralin* into the center o) the Andro(eda 2ala=y& >ressure )ronts were observed in detail )or the )irst ti(e in Abell $%1$, where clusters o) *ala=ies are (er*in*&

The earliest i(a*es in X-rays o) the shock wave o) a supernova were taken o) S" % @<A& Chandra showed )or the )irst ti(e the shadow o) a s(all *ala=y as it is bein* cannibali6ed by a lar*er one, in an i(a*e o) >erseus A& A new type o) black hole was discovered in *ala=y ?@$, (id-(ass ob-ects purported to be the (issin* link between stellar-si6ed black holes and super (assive black holes& (2ri))iths, et al&, $''') X-ray e(ission lines were associated )or the )irst ti(e with a *a((a-ray burst, Beethoven Burst 24B %$%0& (>iro, et al&, $''') 3i*h school students, usin* Chandra data, discovered a neutron star in supernova re(nant :C 11!7 8 Observations by Chandra and BeppoSAX su**est that *a((a-ray bursts occur in star)or(in* re*ions& Chandra data su**ested that 4X #%@;0&;-!<;1 and !C;@, previously thou*ht to be pulsars, (i*ht be even denser ob-ectsH /uark stars& These results are still debated& Sound waves )ro( violent activity around a super (assive black hole were observed in the >erseus Cluster ($''!)& TAA ;B, a brown dwar), was seen orbitin* a binary syste( o) Sun-like stars& "early all stars on the (ain se/uence are X-ray e(itters& (Sch(itt I Jie)ke, $''1) The X-ray shadow o) Titan was seen when it transitted the Crab "ebula& X-ray e(issions )ro( (aterials )allin* )ro( a protoplanetary disc into a star& (Kastner, et al&, $''1) 3ubble constant (easured to be <0& k(LsL?pc usin* Sunyaev-Mel,dovich e))ect& $''0 Chandra )ound stron* evidence that dark (atter e=ists by observin* super cluster collision $''0 X-ray e(ittin* loops, rin*s and )ila(ents discovered around a super (assive black hole within ?essier @< i(ply the presence o) pressure waves, shock waves and sound waves& The evolution o) ?essier @< (ay have been dra(atically a))ected&7%'8 Observations o) the Bullet cluster put li(its on the cross-section o) the sel)-interaction o) dark (atter&7%%8 EThe 3and o) 2odE photo*raph o) >S4 B%;' -;@& #upiter,s =-rays co(in* )ro( poles, not auroral rin*&7%$8 A lar*e halo o) hot *as was )ound surroundin* the ?ilky Aay&7%!8 +=tre(ely dense and lu(inous dwar) *ala=y ?0'-DC9% observed&7%18 Technical description Chandra (AXAF) in the Shuttle bay CXO orbit as o) #anuary <, $'%1& Dnlike optical telescopes which possess si(ple alu(ini6ed parabolic sur)aces ((irrors), X-ray telescopes *enerally use a Aolter telescope consistin* o) nested cylindrical paraboloid and hyperboloid sur)aces coated with iridiu( or *old& X-ray photons would be absorbed by nor(al (irror sur)aces, so (irrors with a low *ra6in* an*le are necessary to re)lect the(& Chandra uses )our pairs o) nested (irrors, to*ether with their support structure, called the 3i*h 4esolution ?irror Asse(bly (34?A). the (irror substrate is $ c(-thick *lass, with the re)lectin* sur)ace a !! n( iridiu( coatin*, and the dia(eters are

0; c(, @< c(, c( and %$! c(&7%;8 The thick substrate and particularly care)ul polishin* allowed a very precise optical sur)ace, which is responsible )or Chandra,s un(atched resolutionH between @'N and ;N o) the inco(in* X-ray ener*y is )ocused into a one-arcsecond circle& 3owever, the thickness o) the substrates li(it the proportion o) the aperture which is )illed, leadin* to the low collectin* area co(pared to X??"ewton& Chandra,s hi*hly elliptical orbit allows it to observe continuously )or up to ;; hours o) its 0; hour orbital period& At its )urthest orbital point )ro( earth, Chandra is one o) the (ost distant earth-orbitin* satellites& This orbit takes it beyond the *eostationary satellites and beyond the outer Can Allen belt&7%08 Aith an an*ular resolution o) '&; arcsecond ($&1 Orad), Chandra possesses a resolution over %''' ti(es better than that o) the )irst orbitin* X-ray telescope& :nstru(ents ?!% Core in X-rays The Science :nstru(ent ?odule (S:?) holds the two )ocal plane instru(ents, the AXAF CC9 :(a*in* Spectro(eter (AC:S) and the 3i*h 4esolution Ca(era (34C), (ovin* whichever is called )or into position durin* an observation& AC:S consists o) %' CC9 chips and provides i(a*es as well as spectral in)or(ation o) the ob-ect observed& :t operates in the ran*e o) '&$5%' keC& 34C has two (icro-channel plate co(ponents and i(a*es over the ran*e o) '&%5%' keC& :t also has a ti(e resolution o) %0 (icroseconds& Both o) these instru(ents can be used on their own or in con-unction with one o) the observatory,s two trans(ission *ratin*s& The trans(ission *ratin*s, which swin* into the optical path behind the (irrors, provide Chandra with hi*h resolution spectroscopy& The 3i*h +ner*y Trans(ission 2ratin* Spectro(eter (3+T2S) works over '&15%' keC and has a spectral resolution o) 0'5%'''& The Jow +ner*y Trans(ission 2ratin* Spectro(eter (J+T2S) has a ran*e o) '&' 5! keC and a resolution o) 1'5$'''& See also X-ray astrono(y 2reat Observatories pro*ra( 4e)erences EChandra X-ray Observatory Puick FactsE& "ASA&*ov& Au*ust % & FS-% -' %%%-?SFC& EThe +=traordinary Dniverse with ChandraE& 3arvard-S(ithsonian Center )or Astrophysics& Tucker, Aallace (October !%, $'%!)& ETyrel #ohnson I #atila van der Ceen - Ainners o) the Chandra-"a(in* Contest - Ahere Are They "owQE& 3arvard-S(ithsonian Center )or Astrophysics& 4etrieved #anuary %$, $'%1&

EAnd the co-winners are&&&E& 3arvard-S(ithsonian Center )or Astrophysics& % @& 4etrieved #anuary %$, $'%1& EChandra,s ?ission +=tended to $'' E& 3arvard-S(ithsonian Center )or Astrophysics& Septe(ber $@, $''%& Schwart6, 9aniel A& (Au*ust $''1)& EThe 9evelop(ent and Scienti)ic :(pact o) the Chandra X-4ay ObservatoryE& :nternational #ournal o) ?odern >hysics 9 %! (<)H %$! 5 %$1@& arXivHastro-phL'1'$$<;& doiH%'&%%1$LS'$%@$<%@'1'';!<<& E:nternational X-ray ObservatoryE& "ASA&*ov& 3owell, +li6abeth ("ove(ber %, $'%!)& EX-ray Space Telescope o) the Future Could Jaunch in $'$@E& Space&co(& 4etrieved #anuary %, $'%1& EStudents Dsin* "ASA and "SF 9ata ?ake Stellar 9iscovery. Ain Science Tea( Co(petitionE (>ress release)& "ASA& 9ece(ber %$, $'''& 4elease ''-% ;& 4etrieved April %;, $'%!& 4oy, Steve. Aat6ke, ?e*an (October $''0)& EChandra 4eviews Black 3ole ?usicalH +pic But O))-KeyE (>ress release)& 3arvard-S(ithsonian Center )or Astrophysics& ?ade-ski, 2re* ($'';)& E4ecent and Future Observations in the X-ray and 2a((a-ray BandsH Chandra, Su6aku, 2JAST, and "uSTA4E& Astrophysical Sources o) 3i*h +ner*y >articles and 4adiation& #une $'-$1, $'';& Torun, >oland& A:> Con)erence >roceedin*s @'%& p& $%& arXivHastro-phL';%$'%$& doiH%'&%'0!L%&$%1%@$@& E>u66lin* X-rays )ro( #upiterE& "ASA&*ov& ?arch <, $''$& 3arrin*ton, #& 9&. Anderson, #anet. +d(onds, >eter (Septe(ber $1, $'%$)& E"ASA,s Chandra Shows ?ilky Aay is Surrounded by 3alo o) 3ot 2asE& "ASA&*ov& E?0'-DC9%H An Dltra-Co(pact 9war) 2ala=yE& "ASA&*ov& Septe(ber $1, $'%!& 2aet6, T& #&. #erius, 9iab (#anuary $@, $'';)& EThe 34?A Dser,s 2uideE& Chandra Xray Center& Archived )ro( the ori*inal on February %', $''0& 2ott, #& 4ichard. #uric, ?ario ($''0)& EJo*arith(ic ?ap o) the DniverseE& >rinceton Dniversity& Further readin* 2ri))iths, 4& +&. >tak, A&. Fei*elson, +& 9&. 2ar(ire, 2&. Townsley, J&. Brandt, A& "&. Sa(bruna, 4&. Bre*(an, #& "& ($''')& E3ot plas(a and black hole binaries in starburst *ala=y ?@$E& Science $ ' (;1 ;)H %!$;5%!$@& BibcodeH$'''Sci&&&$ '&%!$;2& doiH%'&%%$0Lscience&$ '&;1 ;&%!$;& >?:9 %%'@$';1& >avlov, 2& 2&. Mavlin, C& +&. Aschenbach, B&. Tru(per, #&. Sanwal, 9& ($''')& EThe Co(pact Central Ob-ect in Cassiopeia AH A "eutron Star with 3ot >olar Caps or a Black 3oleQE& The Astrophysical #ournal ;!% (%)H J;!5J;0& arXivHastro-phL %$'$1& BibcodeH$'''Ap#&&&;!%J&&;!>& doiH%'&%'@0L!%$;$%& >?:9 %'0<!1%!& >iro, J&. 2ar(ire, 2&. 2arcia, ?&. Stratta, 2&. Costa, +&. Feroci, ?&. ?es6aros, >&. Cietri, ?&. Bradt, 3& et al& ($''')& EObservation o) X-ray lines )ro( a *a((a-ray burst (24B %$%0)H evidence o) (ovin* e-ecta )ro( the pro*enitorE& Science $ ' (;1 !)H ;;5 ;@& arXivHastro-phL''%%!!<& BibcodeH$'''Sci&&&$ '&& ;;>& doiH%'&%%$0Lscience&$ '&;1 !& ;;& >?:9 %%'0$%$%& Aeisskop), ?& C&. 3ester, #& #&. Tennant, A& F&. +lsner, 4& F&. Schul6, "& S&. ?arshall, 3& J&. Karovska, ?&. "ichols, #& S&. Swart6, 9& A& et al& ($''')& E9iscovery o) Spatial and Spectral Structure in the X-4ay +(ission )ro( the Crab "ebulaE& The Astrophysical

#ournal ;!0 ($)H J@%5J@1& arXivHastro-phL'''!$%0& BibcodeH$'''Ap#&&&;!0J&&@%A& doiH%'&%'@0L!%$<!!& >?:9 %'@; %$!& Ba*ano)), F& K&. Baut6, ?& A&. Brandt, A& "&. Chartas, 2&. Fei*elson, +& 9&. 2ar(ire, 2& >&. ?aeda, R&. ?orris, ?&. 4icker, 2& 4& et al& ($''%)& E4apid X-ray )larin* )ro( the direction o) the super(assive black hole at the 2alactic CentreE& "ature 1%! (0@;%)H 1;5 1@& arXivHastro-phL'%' !0<& BibcodeH$''%"atur&1%!&&&1;B& doiH%'&%'!@L!;' $;%'& >?:9 %%;11;% & Kastner, #& 3&. 4ich(ond, ?&. 2rosso, "&. Aeintraub, 9& A&. Si(on, T&. Frank, A&. 3a(a*uchi, K&. O6awa, 3&. 3enden, A& ($''1)& EAn X-ray outburst )ro( the rapidly accretin* youn* star that illu(inates ?c"eil,s nebulaE& "ature 1!' (0 @)H 1$ 51!%& arXivHastro-phL'1'@!!$& BibcodeH$''1"atur&1!'&&1$ K& doiH%'&%'!@Lnature'$<1<& >?:9 %;$0 <0%& +=ternal links Aiki(edia Co((ons has (edia related to Chandra X-ray Observatory& Chandra X-ray Observatory at "ASA&*ov Chandra X-ray Observatory at 3arvard&edu Chandra podcast ($'%') by Astrono(y Cast 7show8 v t e Space observatories 7show8 v t e S % @ T Orbital launches in % 7show8 v t e T4A Cate*oriesH X-ray telescopes Arti)icial satellites orbitin* +arth Chandra X-ray Observatory T $''' U

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