Chandra Space Telescope
Nasa s chandra x ray observatory is a telescope specially designed to detect x ray emission from very hot regions of the universe such as exploded stars clusters of galaxies and matter around black holes.
Chandra space telescope. The chandra x ray observatory previously known as the advanced x ray astrophysics facility is a flagship class space telescope launched aboard the space shuttle columbia during sts 93 by nasa on july 23 1999. It has been able to detect x ray sources 20 times fainter than anything previously picked up by an x ray telescope and can be used to study objects that emit x rays such as black holes supernovae and dark matter. Chandra is the most sensitive x ray telescope ever built.
Hubble space telescope james webb space telescope galaxies nebulae astrophysics black holes cosmology. Nasa cxc ngst related channels. The chandra x ray observatory is a nasa telescope that looks at black holes quasars supernovas and the like all sources of high energy in the universe.
Since the earth s atmosphere absorbs the vast majority of x rays they are not detectable from earth based telescopes. Because x rays are absorbed by earth s atmosphere chandra must orbit above it up to an altitude of 139 000 km 86 500 mi in space. Chandra is sensitive to x ray sources 100 times fainter than any previous x ray telescope enabled by the high angular resolution of its mirrors.
Nasa gov brings you the latest images videos and news from america s space agency. Chandra shows the x rays surrounding the white dwarf star white and you can view data in optical wavelengths from hubble orange and blue ultraviolet from nasa s galaxy evolution explorer. Artist illustration of the chandra x ray observatory.
The great observatories were designed to send back detailed information about space.