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Electromagnetic Spectrum
Electromagnetic thermometer scale. X-rays associated with high temperatures about 10 million - 100 million degrees Celsius. (illustration: CXC/J. Tetreault) |
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Galaxy Cluster A1367 Optical Vs. X-Ray Picture
Optical image is a ground-based picture showing fuzzy, extended galaxies in cluster as well as foreground stars. X-ray image from HEAO-2/Einstein showing patchy, diffuse emission from 10/7th-10/8th
degrees Celsius gas filling the space between the galaxies. (illustration: CXC) |
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Schematic Of Grazing Incidence X-Ray Mirror
This cutaway illustrates the design and functioning of the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) on Chandra. (Illustration: Hughes Danbury Optical Systems & NGST)
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Optician Polishing Large CXO Mirror Shell At HDOS
Glass rotates, polishing tool moves back and forth. (photo: Raytheon) |
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Optician Polishing A Large Mirror Shell At HDOS
Glass rotates, polishing tool moves back and forth. (photo: Raytheon) |
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CXO Mirror Shell Being Moved To "Blue Room" For Metrology At HDOS
Note the "high tech" hoisting mechanism: a rope. (photo: Optical Coating Labs, Inc.) |
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CXO Mirror Being Assembled At Eastman-Kodak
See support cylinders and "shiny" irridium-coated glass. (photo: Eastman-Kodak) |
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Aerial View Of X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at MSFC
Vacuum tube carries X-rays from source in small building at upper left to focus of mirror in large test facility (lower right) some 1700 ft. away. Test simulates celestial point source. (photo: MSFC) |
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Raw Image of Full HRMA Taken in X-Rays at XRCF
Shows almost all of counts fall within ~100 micrometers or 2“ diameter. (photo: NGST) |
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Deconvolved Image of Full HRMA Taken in X-Rays at XRCF
Shows anticipated on-orbit performance, > 70% of intensity within 1“ diameter (photo: NGST) |
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High Resolution Camera, Flight Unit
Shown at XRCF insertion for testing. See electronics and plastic anti-coincidence shield. (photo: NGST) |
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CXO CCD Imaging Spectrometer (Probably Breadboard Unit)
See strip of 6 CCDs to read out gratings and 2x2 for imagging array. |
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Low Energy Transmission Gratings (LETG) on Metal Stand
See 4 rings to flip behind the 4 mirror shells when used for high resolution spectroscopy. HETG (High Energy Transmission Gratings) look similar. (photo: MIT) |
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M87 Nucleus and Jet, ROSAT Image vs. CXO Simulation
Image covers ~5“. ROSAT image on left. CXO simulation based on HRMA, HRC, and aspect camera performance on right. (Simulation: CXC) |
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Cataclysmics In Core Of Globular Cluster NGC6397 - ROSAT Image vs. CXO Simulation In 3-D
Projection
ROSAT data, left, suggests several sources. AXAF simulation shows how 20x better angular resolution allows sources to be resolved. (Simulation: CXC) |
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Cataclysmics In Core Of Globular Cluster NGC6397 - HST Field
Superimposed circles mark ROSAT positions. Smaller circles around proposed CXO positions. CXO positions offset slightly to correspond to proposed optical IDs. Note #'s of candidates (1 or 2) for CXO
vs. 10's for ROSAT. (Simulation: CXC) |
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Trapezium Star Cluster, ROSAT Observation vs. CXO Simulation
ROSAT observation (left) detects ~70 sources - PMS stars down to brown dwarfs (possibly). ACIS (right) simulation finding and resolving ~8x more sources, shows gain from CXO. (Simulation: CXC) |
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Trapezium Star Cluster, K-Band Observation vs. CXO Simulation
K-band observation - left; CXO simulation - right. Most of the stars in the cluster can be detected and identified by CXO- very young stars, will study hundred to 1000. Can see flares in a day's
observation, measure temperatures etc. (Simulation: CXC / HST) |
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CXO LETG Grating Simulation Of UX ARI
See iron lines, oxygen line, and extend to wavelengths > 100 angstroms (Simulation: CXC) |
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Artist's Concept Of Black Hole In Binary Star System
(Simulation: CXC) |
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ROSAT HRI Observation Of Tycho SNR With Contours
Contours show places where changes in flux observed over 4 years time. CXO would detail spatial and spectral changes as shocks expand, etc. (Simulation: ROSAT) |
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Proposed CXO Sucessor: High Throughput X-Ray Spectroscopy Mission (HTXS)
CXO is to HTXS as HST is to Keck (Simulation: CXC) |
