Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOPHIA) Mirror Coating Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, Ed

The joint US and German project, Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), to develop and operate a 2.5 meter infrared airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP began late last year. Universities Space Research Association (USRA), teamed with Raytheon E-Systems and United Airlines, was selected by NASA to develop and operate SOPHIA. The 2.5 meter telescope will be designed and built by a consortium of German companies. The observatory is expected to operate for over 29 years with the first science flights beginning in 2001. The SOPHIA Observatory will fly at and above 12.5 km, where the telescope will collect radiation in the wavelength range from 0.3 micrometers to a 1.6 millimeters. Universities Space Research Association (USRA) with support from NASA is currently evaluating methods of recoating the primary mirror in preparation for procurement of mirror coating equipment. The decision analysis technique, decision criteria and telescope specifications will be discussed.

Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This photograph shows the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (GRO) being deployed by the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis during the STS-37 mission in April 1991. The GRO reentered Earth atmosphere and ended its successful mission in June 2000. For nearly 9 years, the GRO Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), designed and built by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), kept an unblinking watch on the universe to alert scientists to the invisible, mysterious gamma-ray bursts that had puzzled them for decades. By studying gamma-rays from objects like black holes, pulsars, quasars, neutron stars, and other exotic objects, scientists could discover clues to the birth, evolution, and death of stars, galaxies, and the universe. The gamma-ray instrument was one of four major science instruments aboard the Compton. It consisted of eight detectors, or modules, located at each corner of the rectangular satellite to simultaneously scan the entire universe for bursts of gamma-rays ranging in duration from fractions of a second to minutes. In January 1999, the instrument, via the Internet, cued a computer-controlled telescope at Las Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, within 20 seconds of registering a burst. With this capability, the gamma-ray experiment came to serve as a gamma-ray burst alert for the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and major gound-based observatories around the world. Thirty-seven universities, observatories, and NASA centers in 19 states, and 11 more institutions in Europe and Russia, participated in the BATSE science program.

Lunar Observatories: Why, Where, and When?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowman, D. Paul, Jr.; Durst, Steve; Chen, Peter C.

1999-01-01

The value of Moon-based astronomical instruments has been repeatedly supported by several major studies and conferences, such as the "Astrophysics from the Moon" meeting held in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1990 (Mumma and Smith, 1990). A comprehensive review of the advantages of lunar observatories was published in the same year by Burns et al. (1990). However, the decade since then has seen a number of major developments bearing on the topic of lunar observatories, including the following. Two space astronomy programs have been outstandingly successful since 1990: the Cosmic Background Explorer ((COBE) and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). These instruments have shown for the first time the structure of the universe in the first stages of its creation, i.e., the "Big Bang." One result of these discoveries has been to focus new space astronomy programs on fundamental problems such as shape of the universe, evolution of galaxies, and the nature of "dark" matter. Since these questions involve the very earliest stages of the history of the universe, to study them requires observation of extremely distant objects. Because of the expansion of the universe, all radiation from such objects is greatly redshifted, into the infrared region of the spectrum. For this reason, the Next Generation Space Telescope, the successor to HST, will be an infrared telescope.

Searching for ultra high energy neutrinos from space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santangelo, A.

2006-07-01

Observations of neutrinos at Ultra High Energies (UHE), from a few 1018 eV to beyond the decade of 1020 eV, are an extraordinary opportunity to explore this still largely unknown Universe and present us a tremendous experimental challenge. It is indeed expected that observations of UHEνs (and cosmic rays) will provide entirely new information on the sources and on the physical mechanisms able to accelerate these extreme messengers to macroscopic energies. However, as extensively debated in the last few years, UHE particles might, also, carry evidence of unknown physics or of exotic particles, relics of the early Universe. To reach these goals, high statistics, high quality observations are required. This implies innovative experiments with larger acceptances and good understanding of systematic uncertainties. The ground-based Pierre Auger Observatory, whose southern site is expected to be completed in Malargue, Argentina by the end of 2006, will surely provide, in the near future, a more solid observational scenario for UHE Cosmic Rays (UHECR). However, only space-based observatories can reach the effective area necessary to systematically explore the UHE universe. Space-based observatories are likely to be essential for neutrino observations at UHE. In fact only a few UHE neutrinos will be detected by the current planned observatories and only if the most promising estimates for fluxes applies. In the present paper, after summarizing the science rationale behind UHEν studies, we review the status of current experimental efforts, with the main emphasis on the actual generation of space-based observatories. We also briefly discuss the scientific goals, the requirements and the R&D of a “next-generation” space-based mission for UHE observations. The opening of the ESA “Cosmic Vision 2015 2025” long term plan provides, in the very near future, an unique opportunity to develop such a challenging and innovative observatory for UHE.

Exploring the Universe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aviation/Space, 1982

1982-01-01

Highlights National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) space exploration studies, focusing on Voyager at Saturn, advanced Jupiter exploration, infrared observatory, space telescope, Dynamics Explorers (satellites designed to provide understanding of earth/sun energy relationship), and ozone studies. (JN)

Reorganization and Reconfiguration of the Information Management System of Istanbul University Observatory taking the Padova - Asiago Observatory Information Management System as a Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulsecen, S.; Saygac, A. T.; Passuello, R.; Rigoni, A.

1998-01-01

In this paper we describe the need for a more powerful Information management System (IMS) to be used as a useful aid for astronomers. The main purpose of IMS in astronomical places like observatories and astronomy departments is described and two models are presented: one to be reorganized and reconfigurated (Istanbul University,Faculty of Science, Department of Astronomy and Space Sciences -ASS- IMS) and one to be taken as a good model for the previous (University of Padova, Asiago astrophysical Observatory IMS). Particular attention is given to the implementation of the new IMS of ASS to be done carefully. In order to take success in this, the need for current and future cooperation and support in mentioned.

Need for a network of observatories for space debris dynamical and physical characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piergentili, Fabrizio; Santoni, Fabio; Castronuovo, Marco; Portelli, Claudio; Cardona, Tommaso; Arena, Lorenzo; Sciré, Gioacchino; Seitzer, Patrick

2016-01-01

Space debris represents a major concern for space missions since the risk of impact with uncontrolled objects has increased dramatically in recent years. Passive and active mitigation countermeasures are currently under consideration but, at the base of any of such corrective actions is the space debris continuous monitoring through ground based surveillance systems.At the present, many space agencies have the capability to get optical measurements of space orbiting objects mainly relaying on single observatories. The recent research in the field of space debris, demonstrated how it is possible to increase the effectiveness of optical measurements exploitation by using joint observations of the same target from different sites.The University of Rome "La Sapienza", in collaboration with Italian Space Agency (ASI), is developing a scientific network of observatories dedicated to Space Debris deployed in Italy (S5Scope at Rome and SPADE at Matera) and in Kenya at the Broglio Space Center in Malindi (EQUO). ASI founded a program dedicated to space debris, in order to spread the Italian capability to deal with different aspects of this issue. In this framework, the University of Rome is in charge of coordinating the observatories network both in the operation scheduling and in the data analysis. This work describes the features of the observatories dedicated to space debris observation, highlighting their capabilities and detailing their instrumentation. Moreover, the main features of the scheduler under development, devoted to harmonizing the operations of the network, will be shown. This is a new system, which will autonomously coordinate the observations, aiming to optimize results in terms of number of followed targets, amount of time dedicated to survey, accuracy of orbit determination and feasibility of attitude determination through photometric data.Thus, the authors will describe the techniques developed and applied (i) to implement the multi-site orbit determination and (ii) to solve the attitude motion of uncontrolled orbiting objects by exploiting photometric quasi-simultaneous measurements.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-04-01

This photograph shows the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (GRO) being deployed by the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) arm aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis during the STS-37 mission in April 1991. The GRO reentered Earth atmosphere and ended its successful mission in June 2000. For nearly 9 years, the GRO Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), designed and built by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), kept an unblinking watch on the universe to alert scientists to the invisible, mysterious gamma-ray bursts that had puzzled them for decades. By studying gamma-rays from objects like black holes, pulsars, quasars, neutron stars, and other exotic objects, scientists could discover clues to the birth, evolution, and death of stars, galaxies, and the universe. The gamma-ray instrument was one of four major science instruments aboard the Compton. It consisted of eight detectors, or modules, located at each corner of the rectangular satellite to simultaneously scan the entire universe for bursts of gamma-rays ranging in duration from fractions of a second to minutes. In January 1999, the instrument, via the Internet, cued a computer-controlled telescope at Las Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, within 20 seconds of registering a burst. With this capability, the gamma-ray experiment came to serve as a gamma-ray burst alert for the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and major gound-based observatories around the world. Thirty-seven universities, observatories, and NASA centers in 19 states, and 11 more institutions in Europe and Russia, participated in the BATSE science program.

Long-lived space observatories for astronomy and astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Savage, Blair D.; Becklin, Eric E.; Beckwith, Steven V. W.; Cowie, Lennox L.; Dupree, Andrea K.; Elliot, James L.; Gallagher, John S.; Helfand, David J.; Jenkins, Edward F.; Johnston, Kenneth J.

1987-01-01

NASA's plan to build and launch a fleet of long-lived space observatories that include the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO), the Advanced X Ray Astrophysics Observatory (AXAF), and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) are discussed. These facilities are expected to have a profound impact on the sciences of astronomy and astrophysics. The long-lived observatories will provide new insights about astronomical and astrophysical problems that range from the presence of planets orbiting nearby stars to the large-scale distribution and evolution of matter in the universe. An important concern to NASA and the scientific community is the operation and maintenance cost of the four observatories described above. The HST cost about $1.3 billion (1984 dollars) to build and is estimated to require $160 million (1986 dollars) a year to operate and maintain. If HST is operated for 20 years, the accumulated costs will be considerably more than those required for its construction. Therefore, it is essential to plan carefully for observatory operations and maintenance before a long-lived facility is constructed. The primary goal of this report is to help NASA develop guidelines for the operations and management of these future observatories so as to achieve the best possible scientific results for the resources available. Eight recommendations are given.

NASA Names Premier X-Ray Observatory and Schedules Launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-12-01

NASA's Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility has been renamed the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honor of the late Indian-American Nobel laureate, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The telescope is scheduled to be launched no earlier than April 8, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-93, commanded by astronaut Eileen Collins. Chandrasekhar, known to the world as Chandra, which means "moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit, was a popular entry in a recent NASA contest to name the spacecraft. The contest drew more than six thousand entries from fifty states and sixty-one countries. The co-winners were a tenth grade student in Laclede, Idaho, and a high school teacher in Camarillo, CA. The Chandra X-ray Observatory Center (CXC), operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, will control science and flight operations of the Chandra X-ray Observatory for NASA from Cambridge, Mass. "Chandra is a highly appropriate name," said Harvey Tananbaum, Director of the CXC. "Throughout his life Chandra worked tirelessly and with great precision to further our understanding of the universe. These same qualities characterize the many individuals who have devoted much of their careers to building this premier X-ray observatory." "Chandra probably thought longer and deeper about our universe than anyone since Einstein," said Martin Rees, Great Britain's Astronomer Royal. "Chandrasekhar made fundamental contributions to the theory of black holes and other phenomena that the Chandra X-ray Observatory will study. His life and work exemplify the excellence that we can hope to achieve with this great observatory," said NASA Administrator Dan Goldin. Widely regarded as one of the foremost astrophysicists of the 20th century, Chandrasekhar won the Nobel Prize in 1983 for his theoretical studies of physical processes important to the structure and evolution of stars. He and his wife immigrated from India to the U.S. in 1935. Chandrasekhar served on the faculty of the University of Chicago until his death in 1995. The Chandra X-ray Observatory will help astronomers worldwide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of X rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes and other exotic celestial objects. X-radiation is an invisible form of light produced by multimillion degree gas. Chandra will provide X-ray images that are fifty times more detailed than previous missions. At more than 45 feet in length and weighing more than five tons, it will be one of the largest objects ever placed in Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle. Tyrel Johnson, a student at Priest River Lamanna High School in Priest River, Idaho, and Jatila van der Veen, a physics and astronomy teacher at Adolfo Camarillo High School in Camarillo, California, who submitted the winning name and essays, will receive a trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to view the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, a prize donated by TRW. Members of the contest's selection committee were Timothy Hannemann, executive vice president and general manager, TRW Space & Electronics Group; the late CNN correspondent John Holliman; former Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall, professor of aeronautics at MIT; Charles Petit, senior writer for U.S. News & World Report; Sidney Wolff, Director, National Optical Astronomy Observatories; Martin Weisskopf, Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility project scientist, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL.; and Harvey Tananbaum, director of the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility Science Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA. The Chandra X-ray Observatory program is managed by the Marshall Center for the Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. TRW Space and Electronics Group, Redondo Beach, CA, is NASA's prime contractor for the observatory. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the observatory for NASA from Cambridge, MA. EDITORS NOTE: Further information on NASA's Chandra Observatory is available on the internet at http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news/ and http://chandra.harvard.edu For information about S. Chandrasekhar, or comments from his Chicago colleagues, including those who will use the Chandra X-ray Observatory, contact Steve Koppes, University of Chicago, 773/702-8366 The NASA Video File normally airs at noon, 3:00, 6:00, 9:00 p.m. and midnight Eastern time. NASA Television is available on GE-2, transponder 9C at 85 degrees West longitude, with vertical polarization. Frequency is on 3880.0 megahertz, with audio on 6.8 megahertz. Note to editors: Digital images to accompany this release are available via the Internet at: http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/images.html

Supernova Cosmology Project

Science.gov Websites

/UC Berkeley Kyle Dawson Professor University of Utah Rahman Amanullah Postdoc Stockholm Univ Marek Kowalski Professor University of Bonn Mamoru Doi Professor Univ. of Tokyo Yutaka Ihara Graduate University of Stockholm University of Oxford European Southern Observatory University of Tokyo Space

Interferometry from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, Kenneth

2007-01-01

Space-based interferometric observatories will be challenging projects, equal at least to that of building the Great Observatories (the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Spitzer Space Telescope (SST), Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Gamma Ray Observatory), if not the Pyramids of Eygpt - but they represent the next logical step in examining our Universe at substantially higher angular resolution. Increasing our resolving power by factors of 100 or more (as is needed to make meaningful improvements in this observational arena) over existing facilities such as HST and SST requires mirror diameters (100's to 1000's of meters) much larger than can be supported by single or segmented mirrors - and thus the design and construction of sparse aperture, inteferometric arrays such as those described herein will be required. But just imagine the rewards of being able to see, for the first time, the surfaces of other stars, the location and type of extrasolar planets and even pictures of those same planets, the inner workings of Active Galactic Nuclei, the close-in details of supernovae explosions, black hole event horizons, and the infrared universe at the same resolution of the UV-optical Hubble Deep Fields. As a slight variation on the "Star Trek: Enterprise" theme song might say, it'll be a "long road, getting from here to there", but it will one well-worth taking.

SST and the Milky Way, an Artist's Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Spitzer Space Telescope whizzes in front of a brilliant, infrared view of the Milky Way galaxy's plane in this artistic depiction.

The mission marks the last of NASA's Great Observatories, a program that includes the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory.

In addition to studying many of the coldest, oldest and most dust-enshrouded objects and processes in the universe, the mission will also be an important part of NASA's Origins Program, which seeks to answer the questions: Where did we come from? Are we alone?

Why Space Telescopes Are Amazing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rigby, Jane R.

2012-01-01

One of humanity's best ideas has been to put telescopes in space. The dark stillness of space allows telescopes to perform much better than they can on even the darkest and clearest of Earth's mountaintops. In addition, from space we can detect colors of light, like X-rays and gamma rays, that are blocked by the Earth's atmosphere I'll talk about NASA's team of great observatories: the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory} and how they've worked together to answer key questions: When did the stars form? Is there really dark matter? Is the universe really expanding ever faster and faster?

NASA X-Ray Observatory Completes Tests Under Harsh Simulated Space Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-07-01

NASA's most powerful X-ray observatory has successfully completed a month-long series of tests in the extreme heat, cold, and airless conditions it will encounter in space during its five-year mission to shed new light on some of the darkest mysteries of the universe. The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility was put through the rigorous testing as it was alternately heated and cooled in a special vacuum chamber at TRW Space and Electronics Group in Redondo Beach, Calif., NASA's prime contractor for the observatory. "Successful completion of thermal vacuum testing marks a significant step in readying the observatory for launch aboard the Space Shuttle in January," said Fred Wojtalik, manager of the Observatory Projects Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. "The observatory is a complex, highly sophisticated, precision instrument," explained Wojtalik. "We are pleased with the outcome of the testing, and are very proud of the tremendous team of NASA and contractor technicians, engineers and scientists that came together and worked hard to meet this challenging task." Testing began in May after the observatory was raised into the 60-foot thermal vacuum chamber at TRW. Testing was completed on June 20. During the tests the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility was exposed to 232 degree heat and 195 degree below zero Fahrenheit cold. During four temperature cycles, all elements of the observatory - the spacecraft, telescope, and science instruments - were checked out. Computer commands directing the observatory to perform certain functions were sent from test consoles at TRW to all Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility components. A team of contractor and NASA engineers and scientists monitored and evaluated the results. Commands were also sent from, and test data monitored at, the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility Operations Control Center in Cambridge, Mass., as part of the test series. The observatory will be managed and controlled from the Operations Control Center after launch. "As is usually the case, we identified a few issues to be resolved before launch," said Wojtalik. "Overall, however, the observatory performed exceptionally well." The observatory test team discovered a mechanical problem with one of the primary science instruments, the Imaging Spectrometer. A door protecting the instrument did not function when commanded by test controllers. "We do these tests to check and double check every aspect of satellite operation that could affect the ultimate success of the science mission," said Craig Staresinich, TRW Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility program manager. "Discovering a problem now is a success. Discovering a problem later, after launch, would be a failure." A team of NASA and contractor engineers are studying the mechanical problem and developing a plan to correct it. The instrument will be sent back to its builder, Lockheed-Martin Astronautics in Denver, Colo., where it will be repaired while the rest of the observatory continues other testing. This should still allow an on-time delivery of the observatory to NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., in August, where it will be readied for launch in January. With a resolving power 10 times greater than previous X-ray telescopes, the new X-ray observatory will provide scientists with views of previously invisible X-ray sources, including black holes, exploding stars and interstellar gasses. The third of NASA's Great Observatories, it will join the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit. The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility program is managed by the Marshall Center for the Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. TRW Space & Electronics Group is assembling the observatory and doing verification testing. The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility Operations Control Center is operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Using glass purchased from Schott Glaswerke, Mainz, Germany, the telescope's mirrors were built by Raytheon Optical Systems Inc., Danbury, Conn. The mirrors were coated by Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc., Santa Rosa, Calif., and assembled by EastmanKodak Co., Rochester, N.Y. The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility Charge-Coupled Device Imaging Spectrometer was developed by Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa., and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge. One diffraction grating was developed by MIT, the other by the Space Research Organization Netherlands, Utrecht, Netherlands, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute, Garching, Germany. The High Resolution Camera was built by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation of Boulder, Colo., developed the aspect camera and the Science Instrument Module. Note to editors: Digital images to accompany this release are available via the World Wide Web at the following URL: http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/images.html

On the Origin of the Solar Moreton Wave of 2006 December 6

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

Flight Center. Huntsville. AL 35812. USA 9 National Solar Observatory. Tucson, AZ 85719, USA 10 Faculty of Geodesy, University of Zagreb , Hvar...Observatory, HR 10000 Zagreb , Croatia 1’ Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117, US A Received 2010 April 7

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Tom Woods, (second from right), principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

The World Space Observatory Ultraviolet (WSO-UV), as a bridge to future UV astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shustov, B.; Gómez de Castro, A. I.; Sachkov, M.; Vallejo, J. C.; Marcos-Arenal, P.; Kanev, E.; Savanov, I.; Shugarov, A.; Sichevskii, S.

2018-04-01

Ultraviolet (UV) astronomy is a vital branch of space astronomy. Many dozens of short-term UV-experiments in space, as well as long-term observatories, have brought a very important knowledge on the physics and chemistry of the Universe during the last decades. Unfortunately, no large UV-observatories are planned to be launched by most of space agencies in the coming 10-15 years. Conversely, the large UVOIR observatories of the future will appear not earlier than in 2030s. This paper briefly describes the projects that have been proposed by various groups. We conclude that the World Space Observatory-Ultraviolet (WSO-UV) will be the only 2-m class UV telescope with capabilities similar to those of the HST for the next decade. The WSO-UV has been described in detail in previous publications, and this paper updates the main characteristics of its instruments and the current state of the whole project. It also addresses the major science topics that have been included in the core program of the WSO-UV, making this core program very relevant to the current state of the UV-astronomy. Finally, we also present here the ground segment architecture that will implement this program.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-01-01

This photograph shows a TRW technician inspecting the completely assembled Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) in the Thermal Vacuum Chamber at TRW Space and Electronics Group of Redondo Beach, California. The CXO is formerly known as the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), which was renamed in honor of the late Indian-American Astronomer, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar in 1999. The CXO will help astronomers worldwide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes and other exotic celestial objects. X-ray astronomy can only be done from space because Earth's atmosphere blocks x-rays from reaching the surface. The Observatory provides images that are 50 times more detailed than previous x-ray missions. At more than 45 feet in length and weighing more than 5 tons, it will be one of the largest objects ever placed in Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor and assembled and tested the observatory for NASA. The CXO program is managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center. The Observatory was launched on July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW)

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-01

This photograph shows TRW technicians preparing the assembled Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) for an official unveiling at TRW Space and Electronics Group of Redondo Beach, California. The CXO is formerly known as the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), which was renamed in honor of the late Indian-American Astronomer, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar in 1999. The CXO will help astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. X-ray astronomy can only be done from space because Earth's atmosphere blocks x-rays from reaching the surface. The Observatory provides images that are 50 times more detailed than previous x-ray missions. At more than 45 feet in length and weighing more than 5 tons, it will be one of the largest objects ever placed in Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor and assembled and tested the observatory for NASA. The CXO program is managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center. The Observatory was launched on July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW)

KSC-99pp0766

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 39B, the payload canister carrying the Chandra X-ray Observatory nears the end of its ascent up the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) to the Payload Changeout Room. Umbilical hoses, which maintain a controlled environment for the observatory, are still attached to the payload canister transporter below that transferred the payload from the Vertical Processing Facility. The observatory will be moved into the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Columbia, seen in the background, after the RSS rotates to a position behind Columbia. The world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch no earlier than July 20 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Philip H. Scherrer (left) principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto, speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, while colleagues Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder and Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters (right) look on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Bubbles, voids, and bumps in time: The new cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cornell, James

The history and current status of theoretical and observational cosmology are examined in chapters based on the Lowell Lectures, given in Boston and Washington DC in spring 1987. Topics addressed include the Aristotelian, Copernican, Newtonian, and Einsteinian universes; the measurement of the universe (redshifts and standard candles); mapping the universe (slices and bubbles); dark matter and missing mass; and the big bang and cosmic inflation. Six basic outstanding problems are identified, and the potential contributions of planned ground-based and space observatories to their solution are discussed. Particular attention is given to CCD detectors for large ground-based telescopes, the VLA, VLBI arrays, the ESO Very Large Telescope, the 10-m Keck telescope on Mauna Kea, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Gamma-Ray Observatory, and the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility.

The ESA Herschel Space Observatory -first year achievements and early science highlights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilbratt, Göran

The Herschel Space Observatory was suc-cessfully launched on 14 May 2009, carried into space by an Ariane 5 ECA launcher together with the second passenger Planck, both spacecraft being injected into transfer orbits towards L2 with exquisite precision. Herschel is the most recent observatory mission in the European Space Agency (ESA) science programme. It carries a 3.5 metre diameter Cassegrain passively cooled monolithic silicon carbide telescope. The focal plane units of the science payload complement -two cameras/medium resolution imaging spectrometers, the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE), and the very high resolution Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) spectrometer -are housed in a superfluid helium cryostat. Herschel is the first large aperture space infrared observatory, it builds on previous infrared space missions including the IRAS, ISO, AKARI, and Spitzer observatories, by offering a much larger telescope and pushes towards longer wavelengths. It will perform imaging photometry and spectroscopy in the far infrared and submillimetre part of the spectrum, covering approximately the 55-672 micron range. I will describe Herschel and its science capabilities putting it into perspective. Herschel is designed to observe the 'cool universe'; the key science objectives include star and galaxy formation and evolution, and in particular the physics, dynamics, and chemistry of the interstellar medium and its molecular clouds, the wombs of the stars and planets. Herschel is currently opening a new window to study how the universe has evolved to become the universe we see today, and how our star the sun, our planet the earth, and we ourselves fit in. I will outline the early inflight operations of Herschel and the transition from launch and early operational phases into the routine science phase. I will present the demonstrated science capabilities and provide examples of scientific highlights to date. Herschel has been designed to offer a minimum of 3 years of routine science observations. Nominally 20,000 hours will be available for astronomy, 32(OT) offered to the general astronomical community through a standard competitive proposal procedure. I will describe future observing opportunities.

From Early Exploration to Space Weather Forecasts: Canada's Geomagnetic Odyssey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, Hing-Lan

2011-05-01

Canada is a region ideally suited for the study of space weather: The north magnetic pole is encompassed within its territory, and the auroral oval traverses its vast landmass from east to west. Magnetic field lines link the country directly to the outer magnetosphere. In light of this geographic suitability, it has been a Canadian tradition to install ground monitors to remotely sense the space above Canadian territory. The beginning of this tradition dates back to 1840, when Edward Sabine, a key figure in the “magnetic crusade” to establish magnetic observatories throughout the British Empire in the nineteenth century, founded the first Canadian magnetic observatory on what is now the campus of the University of Toronto, 27 years before the birth of Canada. This observatory, which later became the Toronto Magnetic and Meteorological Observatory, marked the beginning of the Canadian heritage of installing magnetic stations and other ground instruments in the years to come. This extensive network of ground-based measurement devices, coupled with space-based measurements in more modern times, has enabled Canadian researchers to contribute significantly to studies related to space weather.

Space for Women: Perspectives on Careers in Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corliss, Julie

The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) is a joint collaboration between the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Harvard College Observatory. The CfA's research mission is the study of the origin, evolution, and ultimate fate of the universe. This 16-page booklet profiles women in the physical sciences or related fields; it…

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-12-05

This image shows a part of the Cygnus loop supernova remnant, taken by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) on the Astro Observatory during the Astro-1 mission (STS-35) on December 5, 1990. Pictured is a portion of the huge Cygnus loop, an array of interstellar gas clouds that have been blasted by a 900,000 mile per hour shock wave from a prehistoric stellar explosion, which occurred about 20,000 years ago, known as supernova. With ultraviolet and x-rays, astronomers can see emissions from extremely hot gases, intense magnetic fields, and other high-energy phenomena that more faintly appear in visible and infrared light or in radio waves that are crucial to deepening the understanding of the universe. The Astro Observatory was designed to explore the universe by observing and measuring the ultraviolet radiation from celestial objects. Three instruments make up the Astro Observatory: The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimetry Experiment (WUPPE). The Marshall Space Flight Center had managment responsibilities for the Astro-1 mission. The Astro-1 Observatory was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS-35) on December 2, 1990.

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE ON TRACK FOR MEASURING THE EXPANSION RATE OF THE UNIVERSE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Two international teams of astronomers, using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, are reporting major progress in converging on an accurate measurement of the Universe's rate of expansion -- a value which has been debated for over half a century. These new results yield ranges for the age of the Universe from 9-12 billion years, and 11-14 billion years, respectively. The goal of the project is to measure the Hubble Constant to ten percent accuracy. The Hubble Space Telescope Key Project team, an international group of over 20 astronomers, is led by Wendy Freedman of Carnegie Observatories, Pasadena, CA, Robert Kennicutt, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, and Jeremy Mould, Mount Stromlo and Siding Springs Observatory, Australia. The group's interim results, announced at a meeting held at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, are consistent with their preliminary result, announced in 1994, of 80 kilometers per second per megaparsec (km/sec/Mpc), based on observations of a galaxy in the Virgo cluster. 'We have five different ways of measuring the Hubble Constant with HST,' said Dr. Freedman. 'The results are coming in between 68 and 78 km/sec/Mpc.' (For example, at an expansion rate of 75 km/sec/Mpc, galaxies appear to be receding from us at a rate of 162,000 miles per hour for every 3.26 million light-years farther out we look). Two months ago, a second team, led by Allan Sandage, also of the Carnegie Observatories, Abhijit Saha, STScI, Gustav Tammann and Lukas Labhardt, Astronomical Institute, University of Basel, Duccio Macchetto and Nino Panagia, STScI/European Space Agency, reported a slower expansion rate of 57 km/sec/Mpc. The value of the Hubble Constant allows astronomers to calculate the expansion age of the Universe, the time elapsed since the Big Bang. Astronomers have been arguing recently whether the time since the Big Bang is consistent with the ages of the oldest stars. The ages are calculated from combining the expansion rate with an estimate of how much matter is in space. The younger age values from each team assume the Universe is at a critical density where it contains just enough matter to expand indefinitely. The higher age estimates are calculated based on a low density of matter in space. (See 'Science Background' for more information on the expanding Universe.) 'A point of great interest is whether the age of the Universe arrived at this way is really older than the independently derived ages of the oldest stars,' said Saha, an investigator on both Hubble teams. 'The numbers lean on the side that the stellar ages are a little lower, or that the hypothesis that we live in a critical density universe needs to be questioned,' said Saha. 'As further results accumulate over the next few years, we hope to tighten the constraints on these issues.' THE OBSERVATIONS The Key Project team is midway along in their three-year program to derive the expansion rate of the Universe based on precise distance measurements to galaxies. They have now measured Cepheid distances to a dozen galaxies, and are about halfway through their overall program. The Key Project team also presented a preliminary estimate of the distance to the Fornax cluster of galaxies. The estimate was obtained through the detection and measurement with the Hubble Space Telescope of pulsating stars known as Cepheid variables found in the Fornax cluster. The Fornax cluster is measured to be approximately as far away as the Virgo cluster of galaxies -- about 60 million light-years. The Key Project team member who led this effort, Caltech astronomer Barry Madore said, 'This cluster allows us to make independent estimates of the expansion rate of the Universe using a number of different techniques. All of these methods are now in excellent agreement. With Fornax we are now at turning point in this field.' The team is measuring Cepheid distances to the Virgo and Fornax clusters of galaxies as a complementary test. Their strategy is to compare and contrast expansion numbers from a variety of distance indicators. The Key Project team is systematically looking into a variety of methods for measuring distances. They are using Cepheids in a large sample to tie into five or six 'secondary methods'. One such secondary method relates the total luminosity of a galaxy to the rate at which the galaxy is spinning, the Tully-Fisher relation. Another secondary method makes use of a special class of exploding star known as a type Ia supernova. This phase of the Hubble Constant research will be completed within another two years. In contrast, the Sandage team focused on a single secondary distance indicator, one of the same indicators also used by the Key Project team, the type Ia supernova. Sandage maintains that these stars are 'standard bombs' according to theory. He suggests that when they explode they all reach exactly the same intrinsic brightness. This would make them extremely reliable 'standard candles,' (objects with a well-known intrinsic brightness) visible 1,000 times farther away than Cepheids. Since they are intrinsically brighter than any other standard candle, they offer the opportunity for an accurate measurement of the Universe's overall expansion by looking out the farthest. Although both teams are still in disagreement over the precise rate at which the Universe is expanding and on how old it is, they are optimistic that their estimates will continue to converge with further observations and analysis. * * * * Members of the Key Project team include W. Freedman (Carnegie Observatories), R. Kennicutt (University of Arizona), J. Mould (Mount Stromlo and Siding Springs Observatories, Australia), L. Ferrarese (Johns Hopkins University), H. Ford (Johns Hopkins University), J. Graham (Department of Terrestrial Magnetism), M. Han (University of Wisconsin), P. Harding (University of Arizona), J. Hoessel (University of Wisconsin), J. Huchra (Smithsonian/Harvard University), S. Hughes (Royal Greenwich Observatory, Cambridge), G. Illingworth (University of California, Santa Cruz), B.F. Madore (IPAC/Caltech), R. Phelps (Carnegie Observatories), A. Saha (Space Telescope Science Institute), N. Silbermann (IPAC), P. Stetson (Dominion Astrophysical Observatory), and S. Sakai (IPAC). Members of the Sandage team include A. Sandage (Carnegie Observatories), A. Saha (Space Telescope Science Institute), G.A. Tammann, and L. Labhardt (Astronomical Institute, University of Basel), F.D. Macchetto and N. Panagia (Space Telescope Science Institute/European Space Agency).

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Madhulika Guhathakurta, far right, SDO Program Scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Pictured from left of Dr. Guhathakurta's are: Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder; Philip H. Scherrer, principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto; Alan Title, principal investigator, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto and Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Scientists involved in NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission attend a press conference to discuss recent images captured by the SDO spacecraft Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Pictured right to left are: Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters in Washington; Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder; Philip H. Scherrer, principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto; Alan Title, principal investigator, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto and Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

sts093-s-013

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-27

STS093-S-013 (27 June 1999) --- In this fish-eye view, the Chandra X-ray Observatory rests inside the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Columbia at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Chandra is the primary payload on the STS-93 mission, scheduled to launch next month. The world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra, will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of the universe.

A small Internet controllable observatory for research and education at the University of North Dakota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardersen, P. S.; de Silva, S.; Reddy, V.; Cui, P.; Kumar, S.; Gaffey, M. J.

2006-06-01

One of the challenges in astronomy education today is to introduce college students to the real-world practice and science of observational astronomy. Along with a good theoretical background, college students can gain an earlier, deeper understanding of the astronomy profession through direct observational and data reduction experience. However, building and managing a modest observatory is still too costly for many colleges and universities. Fortunately, advances in commercial astronomical hardware and software now allow universities to build and operate small Internet controllable observatories for a modest investment. The advantages of an Internet observatory include: 1) remote operation from a comfortable location, 2) immediate data access, 3) telescope control via a web browser, and 4) allowing both on-campus and distance education students the ability to conduct a variety of observing projects. Internet capabilities vastly expand the number of students who will be able to use the observatory, thus exposing them to astronomy as a science and as a potential career. In September 2005, the University of North Dakota (UND) Department of Space Studies began operating a small, recently renovated Internet controllable observatory. Housed within a roll-off roof 10 miles west of UND, the observatory includes a Meade 16-inch, f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, an SBIG STL-6303e CCD with broadband filters, ACP observatory control software, focuser, and associated equipment. The observatory cost \\25,000 to build in 1996; 2005 renovation costs total \\28,000. An observatory operator prepares the telescope for use each night. Through remote operation, the roof is opened and the telescope/CCD power is turned on. The telescope is then aligned and focused before allowing students to access the observatory. Students communicate with the observatory operator via an online chat room and via telephone, if necessary, to answer questions and resolve any problems. Additional observatory enhancements are planned for installation and testing in 2006.

The Restless Universe - Understanding X-Ray Astronomy in the Age of Chandra and Newton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlegel, Eric M.

2002-10-01

Carl Sagan once noted that there is only one generation that gets to see things for the first time. We are in the midst of such a time right now, standing on the threshold of discovery in the young and remarkable field of X-ray astronomy. In The Restless Universe , astronomer Eric Schlegel offers readers an informative survey of this cutting-edge science. Two major space observatories launched in the last few years--NASA's Chandra and the European Newton --are now orbiting the Earth, sending back a gold mine of data on the X-ray universe. Schlegel, who has worked on the Chandra project for seven years, describes the building and launching of this space-based X-ray observatory. But the book goes far beyond the story of Chandra . What Schlegel provides here is the background a nonscientist would need to grasp the present and follow the future of X-ray astronomy. He looks at the relatively brief history of the field, the hardware used to detect X-rays, the satellites--past, present, and future--that have been or will be flown to collect the data, the way astronomers interpret this data, and, perhaps most important, the insights we have already learned as well as speculations about what we may soon discover. And throughout the book, Schlegel conveys the excitement of looking at the universe from the perspective brought by these new observatories and the sharper view they deliver. Drawing on observations obtained from Chandra, Newton , and previous X-ray observatories, The Restless Universe gives a first look at an exciting field which significantly enriches our understanding of the universe.

Twenty-Three High-Redshift Supernovae from the Institute for Astronomy Deep Survey: Doubling the Supernova Sample at z > 0.7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barris, Brian J.; Tonry, John L.; Blondin, Stéphane; Challis, Peter; Chornock, Ryan; Clocchiatti, Alejandro; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Garnavich, Peter; Holland, Stephen T.; Jha, Saurabh; Kirshner, Robert P.; Krisciunas, Kevin; Leibundgut, Bruno; Li, Weidong; Matheson, Thomas; Miknaitis, Gajus; Riess, Adam G.; Schmidt, Brian P.; Smith, R. Chris; Sollerman, Jesper; Spyromilio, Jason; Stubbs, Christopher W.; Suntzeff, Nicholas B.; Aussel, Hervé; Chambers, K. C.; Connelley, M. S.; Donovan, D.; Henry, J. Patrick; Kaiser, Nick; Liu, Michael C.; Martín, Eduardo L.; Wainscoat, Richard J.

2004-02-01

We present photometric and spectroscopic observations of 23 high-redshift supernovae (SNe) spanning a range of z=0.34-1.03, nine of which are unambiguously classified as Type Ia. These SNe were discovered during the IfA Deep Survey, which began in 2001 September and observed a total of 2.5 deg2 to a depth of approximately m~25-26 in RIZ over 9-17 visits, typically every 1-3 weeks for nearly 5 months, with additional observations continuing until 2002 April. We give a brief description of the survey motivations, observational strategy, and reduction process. This sample of 23 high-redshift SNe includes 15 at z>=0.7, doubling the published number of objects at these redshifts, and indicates that the evidence for acceleration of the universe is not due to a systematic effect proportional to redshift. In combination with the recent compilation of Tonry et al. (2003), we calculate cosmological parameter density contours that are consistent with the flat universe indicated by the cosmic microwave background (Spergel et al. 2003). Adopting the constraint that Ωtotal=1.0, we obtain best-fit values of (Ωm,ΩΛ)=(0.33,0.67) using 22 SNe from this survey augmented by the literature compilation. We show that using the empty-beam model for gravitational lensing does not eliminate the need for ΩΛ>0. Experience from this survey indicates great potential for similar large-scale surveys while also revealing the limitations of performing surveys for z>1 SNe from the ground. CFHT: Based in part on observations obtained at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), which is operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Institut National des Science de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France, and the University of Hawaii. CTIO: Based in part on observations taken at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. Keck: Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. Magellan: Based in part on observations from the 6.5 m Baade telescope operated by the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington for the Magellan Consortium, a collaboration between the Carnegie Observatories, the University of Arizona, Harvard University, the University of Michigan, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. UH: Based in part on observations with the University of Hawaii 2.2 m telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii. VLT: Based in part on observations obtained at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile, under programs ESO 68.A-0427. Based in part on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. This research is primarily associated with proposal GO-09118.

Galaxy Cluster IDCS J1426

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-07

Astronomers have made the most detailed study yet of an extremely massive young galaxy cluster using three of NASA's Great Observatories. This multi-wavelength image shows this galaxy cluster, called IDCS J1426.5+3508 (IDCS 1426 for short), in X-rays recorded by the Chandra X-ray Observatory in blue, visible light observed by the Hubble Space Telescope in green, and infrared light detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope in red. This rare galaxy cluster, which is located 10 billion light-years from Earth, is almost as massive as 500 trillion suns. This object has important implications for understanding how such megastructures formed and evolved early in the universe. The light astronomers observed from IDCS 1426 began its journey to Earth when the universe was less than a third of its current age. It is the most massive galaxy cluster detected at such an early time. First discovered by the Spitzer Space Telescope in 2012, IDCS 1426 was then observed using the Hubble Space Telescope and the Keck Observatory to determine its distance. Observations from the Combined Array for Millimeter-wave Astronomy indicated it was extremely massive. New data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory confirm the galaxy cluster's mass and show that about 90 percent of this mass is in the form of dark matter -- the mysterious substance that has so far been detected only through its gravitational pull on normal matter composed of atoms. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20063

Development of Short Wavelength Infrared Array Detectors for Space Astronomy Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fazio, Giovanni G.

1997-01-01

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and its team - the University of Arizona (UA), the University of Rochester (UR), Santa Barbara Research Center (SBRC), Ames Research Center (ARC), and Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) - are carrying out a research program with the goal of developing and optimizing infrared arrays in the 2-27 micron range for space infrared astronomy. This report summarizes research results for the entire grant period 1 January 1992 through 30 June 1996.

The James Webb Telescope Instrument Suite Layout: Optical System Engineering Considerations for a Large, Deployable Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bos, Brent; Davila, Pam; Jurotich, Matthew; Hobbs, Gurnie; Lightsey, Paul; Contreras, Jim; Whitman, Tony

2003-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space-based, infrared observatory designed to study the early stages of galaxy formation in the Universe. The telescope will be launched into an elliptical orbit about the second Lagrange point and passively cooled to 30-50 K to enable astronomical observations from 0.6 to 28 microns. A group from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the Northrop Grumman Space Technology prime contractor team has developed an optical and mechanical layout for the science instruments within the JWST field of view that satisfies the telescope s high-level performance requirements. Four instruments required accommodation within the telescope's field of view: a Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) provided by the University of Arizona; a Near-Mared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) provided by the European Space Agency; a Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a European consortium; and a Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) with a tunable filter module provided by the Canadian Space Agency. The size and position of each instrument's field of view allocation were developed through an iterative, concurrent engineering process involving the key observatory stakeholders. While some of the system design considerations were those typically encountered during the development of an infrared observatory, others were unique to the deployable and controllable nature of JWST. This paper describes the optical and mechanical issues considered during the field of view layout development, as well as the supporting modeling and analysis activities.

Exploring the X-Ray Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seward, Frederick D.; Charles, Philip A.

1995-11-01

Exploring the X-Ray Universe describes the view of the stars and galaxies that is obtained through X-ray telescopes. X-rays, which are invisible to human sight, are created in the cores of active galaxies, in cataclysmic stellar explosions, and in streams of gas expelled by the Sun and stars. The window on the heavens used by the X-ray astronomers shows the great drama of cosmic violence on the grandest scale.

A Study of the λ10830 He I Line Among Red Giants in Messier 13

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Graeme H.; Dupree, Andrea K.; Strader, Jay

2014-10-01

Not Available The data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) on Orbit Animation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This is an on-orbit animation of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). In 1999, the AXAF was renamed the CXO in honor of the late Indian-American Novel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It is designed to observe x-rays from high energy regions of the Universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. It produces picture-like images of x-ray emissions analogous to those made in visible light, as well as gathers data on the chemical composition of x-ray radiating objects. The CXO helps astronomers worldwide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission.

Astro-1 Image Taken by Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

This image shows a part of the Cygnus loop supernova remnant, taken by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) on the Astro Observatory during the Astro-1 mission (STS-35) on December 5, 1990. Pictured is a portion of the huge Cygnus loop, an array of interstellar gas clouds that have been blasted by a 900,000 mile per hour shock wave from a prehistoric stellar explosion, which occurred about 20,000 years ago, known as supernova. With ultraviolet and x-rays, astronomers can see emissions from extremely hot gases, intense magnetic fields, and other high-energy phenomena that more faintly appear in visible and infrared light or in radio waves that are crucial to deepening the understanding of the universe. The Astro Observatory was designed to explore the universe by observing and measuring the ultraviolet radiation from celestial objects. Three instruments make up the Astro Observatory: The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimetry Experiment (WUPPE). The Marshall Space Flight Center had managment responsibilities for the Astro-1 mission. The Astro-1 Observatory was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS-35) on December 2, 1990.

Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids at Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krugly, Yurij; Ayvazyan, Vova; Inasaridze, Raguli; Zhuzhunadze, Vasili; Molotov, Igor; Voropaev, Victor; Rumyantsev, Vasilij; Baransky, Alexander

Over the past five years physical properties of near-Earth asteroids are investigated in the Kharadze Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory. The work was launched in the collaboration with Kharkiv Institute of Astronomy within the Memorandum on scientific cooperation between Ilia State University (Georgia) and V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Ukraine) in 2011. In the framework of this study the regular observations of several dozen asteroids per year are carried out to determine the rotation periods, size and shape parameters of these celestial bodies. A broad international cooperation is involved in order to improve the efficiency of the study. Abastumani is included in the observatory network called the Gaia -FUN-SSO, which was created for the ground support of the ESA's Gaia space mission.

Cosmological Results from High-z Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonry, John L.; Schmidt, Brian P.; Barris, Brian; Candia, Pablo; Challis, Peter; Clocchiatti, Alejandro; Coil, Alison L.; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Garnavich, Peter; Hogan, Craig; Holland, Stephen T.; Jha, Saurabh; Kirshner, Robert P.; Krisciunas, Kevin; Leibundgut, Bruno; Li, Weidong; Matheson, Thomas; Phillips, Mark M.; Riess, Adam G.; Schommer, Robert; Smith, R. Chris; Sollerman, Jesper; Spyromilio, Jason; Stubbs, Christopher W.; Suntzeff, Nicholas B.

2003-09-01

The High-z Supernova Search Team has discovered and observed eight new supernovae in the redshift interval z=0.3-1.2. These independent observations, analyzed by similar but distinct methods, confirm the results of Riess and Perlmutter and coworkers that supernova luminosity distances imply an accelerating universe. More importantly, they extend the redshift range of consistently observed Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) to z~1, where the signature of cosmological effects has the opposite sign of some plausible systematic effects. Consequently, these measurements not only provide another quantitative confirmation of the importance of dark energy, but also constitute a powerful qualitative test for the cosmological origin of cosmic acceleration. We find a rate for SN Ia of (1.4+/-0.5)×10-4h3Mpc-3yr-1 at a mean redshift of 0.5. We present distances and host extinctions for 230 SN Ia. These place the following constraints on cosmological quantities: if the equation of state parameter of the dark energy is w=-1, then H0t0=0.96+/-0.04, and ΩΛ-1.4ΩM=0.35+/-0.14. Including the constraint of a flat universe, we find ΩM=0.28+/-0.05, independent of any large-scale structure measurements. Adopting a prior based on the Two Degree Field (2dF) Redshift Survey constraint on ΩM and assuming a flat universe, we find that the equation of state parameter of the dark energy lies in the range -1.48-1, we obtain w<-0.73 at 95% confidence. These constraints are similar in precision and in value to recent results reported using the WMAP satellite, also in combination with the 2dF Redshift Survey. Based in part on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. This research is primarily associated with proposal GO-8177, but also uses and reports results from proposals GO-7505, 7588, 8641, and 9118. Based in part on observations taken with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, operated by the National Research Council of Canada, le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique de France, and the University of Hawaii. CTIO: Based in part on observations taken at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. Keck: Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. UH: Based in part on observations with the University of Hawaii 2.2 m telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory, Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii. UKIRT: Based in part on observations with the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) operated by the Joint Astronomy Centre on behalf of the UK. Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. VLT: Based in part on observations obtained at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile, under programs ESO 64.O-0391 and ESO 64.O-0404. WIYN: Based in part on observations taken at the WIYN Observatory, a joint facility of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University, Yale University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories.

Gamma-ray astronomy: From Fermi up to the HAWC high-energy {gamma}-ray observatory in Sierra Negra

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carraminana, Alberto; Collaboration: HAWC Collaboration

Gamma-rays represent the most energetic electromagnetic window for the study of the Universe. They are studied both from space at MeV and GeV energies, with instruments like the Fermi{gamma}-ray Space Telescope, and at TeV energies with ground based instruments profiting of particle cascades in the atmosphere and of the Cerenkov radiation of charged particles in the air or in water. The Milagro gamma-ray observatory represented the first instrument to successfully implement the water Cerenkov technique for {gamma}-ray astronomy, opening the ground for the more sensitive HAWC {gamma}-ray observatory, currently under development in the Sierra Negra site and already providing earlymore » science results.« less

Making astronomy incredibly easy, engaging and affordable for anyone with a desire to see outer space for themselves.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paolucci, Michael

2015-08-01

We have built a social interface and funding model based on collaborative consumption to empower public access to powerful telescopes.Slooh’s robotic observatories put anyone with a desire to look up and wonder in the driver’s seat of powerful mountaintop telescopes. Our members have taken millions of images of over 50,000 objects in the night sky, from tracking asteroids for NASA to discovering supernovae. Slooh launched December 25th, 2003 from our flagship observatory at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands and in the ensuing decade we’ve built a network of 20+ observatory partners around the world to capture every magical moment in outer space. We are the world’s largest community of people peering into space together.About SloohSlooh makes astronomy incredibly easy, engaging and affordable for anyone with a desire to see outer space for themselves. Since 2003 Slooh has connected telescopes to the Internet for access by the broader public. Slooh’s automated observatories develop celestial images in real-time for broadcast to the Internet. Slooh’s technology is protected by Patent No.: US 7,194,146 B2 which was awarded in 2006. Slooh members have taken over 3m photos/150,000 FITS of over 50,000 celestial objects, participated in numerous discoveries with leading astronomical institutions and made over 2,000 submissions to the Minor Planet Center. Slooh’s flagship observatories are situated on Mt. Teide, in partnership with the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), and in Chile, in partnership with the Catholic University. Slooh has also broadcast live celestial events from partner observatories in Arizona, Japan, Hawaii, Cypress, Dubai, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. Slooh’s free live broadcasts of potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), comets, transits, eclipses, solar activity etc. feature narration by astronomy experts Will Gater, Bob Berman, Paul Cox and Eric Edelman and are syndicated to media outlets worldwide. Slooh signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA in March 2014 to “Bring the Universe to Everyone and Help Protect Earth, Too.”

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Scientists involved in NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission attend a press conference to discuss recent images captured by the SDO spacecraft Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. On Feb. 11, 2010, NASA launched the SDO spacecraft, which is the most advanced spacecraft ever designed to study the sun. Seated left to right are: Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.; Alan Title, principal investigator, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto; Philip H. Scherrer, principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto; Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment Instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder and Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Riccardo Giacconi to Receive National Medal of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2005-02-01

Riccardo Giacconi, very recently retired President of Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), will be awarded the National Medal of Science by President George W. Bush on March 14, according to the White House. Giacconi, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2002, will be honored for his pioneering research in X-ray astronomy and for his visionary leadership of major astronomy facilities. Established by Congress in 1959, the National Medal of Science is the Nation's highest honor for American scientists and is awarded annually by the President of the United States to individuals "deserving of special recognition for their outstanding contributions to knowledge." "We are extremely proud that Riccardo Giacconi has been selected to receive the nation's highest award for scientific achievement," said current AUI President Ethan J. Schreier, a long-term colleague of Dr. Giacconi. "It is another fitting recognition for an outstanding scientific career that has enhanced our basic understanding of the universe," Schreier added. Giacconi, known as the father of X-ray astronomy, used X-ray detectors launched on rockets to discover the first cosmic X-ray source in 1962. Because X-ray radiation is absorbed in Earth's atmosphere, space-based instruments are necessary to study it. Giacconi outlined a methodical program to investigate this new X-ray universe and, working with his research group at American Science and Engineering, Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, developed the first space satellite dedicated to the new field of X-ray astronomy. Named Uhuru, this X-ray satellite observatory was launched in 1970 and subsequently discovered hundreds of X-ray sources. The ground-breaking work of Giacconi and his group led to the discovery of black holes, which to that point had been hypothesized but never seen. Giacconi was also the first to prove that the universe contains background radiation of X-ray light. Riccardo Giacconi has played a key role in many other landmark astronomy programs. He was the Principal Investigator for the Einstein Observatory, the first imaging X-ray observatory, and led the team that proposed the current Chandra X-ray Observatory. He became the first director of the Space Telescope Science Institute, responsible for conducting the science program of the Hubble Space Telescope. He later moved to Germany to become Director-General of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), building the Very Large Telescope, an array of four 8-meter telescopes in Chile. While Director-General of ESO, Giacconi initiated a new cooperative program between the United States, ESO, and Canada to develop and build a large array of antennas for radio astronomy, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), in northern Chile. Giacconi was President of AUI from 1999 to 2004, managing the world-class National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), an astronomical research facility of the National Science Foundation. During his tenure, Giacconi's scientific vision dramatically advanced the observatory's capabilities. NRAO began the construction of ALMA in Chile and also the Expansion of the Very Large Array (EVLA) in New Mexico, opening new scientific frontiers across the entire radio spectrum. "I am delighted that Riccardo Giacconi has received this recognition," said NRAO Director Fred K.Y. Lo. "The value and impact of the multi-wavelength astronomy which he enabled has been nothing short of revolutionary. This honor recognizes Giacconi's contributions to astronomy and the broader scientific community." Dr. Giacconi is currently a University Professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and remains a Distinguished Advisor to the Trustees of Associated Universities, Inc.

Nex-Gen Space Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-26

Adam Reiss, recipient of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics and professor of astronomy and physics at Johns Hopkins University speaks at the presentation of the permanent exhibit of the James Webb Space Telescope at the Maryland Science Center on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011 in Baltimore. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Ultra High Energy Neutrinos and Cosmic Rays: a “Vision” for the next decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santangelo, A.

2007-04-01

Ultra High Energy Neutrinos, with energies from a few 1018 eV to beyond the decade of 1020 eV, and Cosmic Rays with E≥5×10 eV appear to be the only suitable messengers to explore the Universe at frontier energies, where radiation is expected to be produced under the most extreme physical conditions. Observations of these UHE particles will certainly provide new information on the sources and on the physical mechanisms able to accelerate these extreme messengers to macroscopic energies. Moreover, they might, also, provide evidence of yet unknown physics or of exotic particles, relics of the early Universe. To reach these goals, innovative experiments with larger effective aperture (A≥10 kmsr) and good understanding of systematic uncertainties (less than ˜ 10%) must be developed. The ground-based Pierre Auger Observatory, whose southern site is expected to be completed in Malargue, Argentina by the end of 2006, will surely provide, in the near future, a more solid observational scenario (Flux, Spectral shape, Composition) for UHE Cosmic Rays (UHECR). However, only space-based observatories can reach the effective area necessary to systematically explore the UHE Universe. In the present paper 1.) we present the Science Rationale behind UHE studies; 2.) we review the status of current experimental efforts, with main emphasis on the actual generation of space-based observatories; 3.) we briefly discuss the science goals, requirements, and R&D of a “next-generation” space-based mission for UHE observations. To develop such a challenging and innovative observatory for UHE particles, the ESA “Cosmic Vision 2015-2025” long term plan provides certainly an unique opportunity.

The Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey: Herschel Image Atlas and Aperture Photometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Jason K.; Sanders, D. B.; Larson, K. L.; Mazzarella, J. M.; Howell, J. H.; Díaz-Santos, T.; Xu, K. C.; Paladini, R.; Schulz, B.; Shupe, D.; Appleton, P.; Armus, L.; Billot, N.; Chan, B. H. P.; Evans, A. S.; Fadda, D.; Frayer, D. T.; Haan, S.; Ishida, C. M.; Iwasawa, K.; Kim, D.-C.; Lord, S.; Murphy, E.; Petric, A.; Privon, G. C.; Surace, J. A.; Treister, E.

2017-04-01

Far-infrared images and photometry are presented for 201 Luminous and Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies [LIRGs: log ({L}{IR}/{L}⊙ )=11.00{--}11.99, ULIRGs: log ({L}{IR}/{L}⊙ )=12.00{--}12.99], in the Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), based on observations with the Herschel Space Observatory Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instruments. The image atlas displays each GOALS target in the three PACS bands (70, 100, and 160 μm) and the three SPIRE bands (250, 350, and 500 μm), optimized to reveal structures at both high and low surface brightness levels, with images scaled to simplify comparison of structures in the same physical areas of ˜100 × 100 kpc2. Flux densities of companion galaxies in merging systems are provided where possible, depending on their angular separation and the spatial resolution in each passband, along with integrated system fluxes (sum of components). This data set constitutes the imaging and photometric component of the GOALS Herschel OT1 observing program, and is complementary to atlases presented for the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory. Collectively, these data will enable a wide range of detailed studies of active galactic nucleus and starburst activity within the most luminous infrared galaxies in the local universe. Based on Herschel Space Observatory observations. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by the European-led Principal Investigator consortia, and important participation from NASA.

Press Meeting 20 January 2003: First Light for Europe's Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2002-12-01

Imagine you are an astronomer with instant, fingertip access to all existing observations of a given object and the opportunity to sift through them at will. In just a few moments, you can have information on all kinds about objects out of catalogues all over the world, including observations taken at different times. Over the next two years this scenario will become reality as Europe's Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (AVO) develops. Established only a year ago (cf. ESO PR 26/01), the AVO already offers astronomers a unique, prototype research tool that will lead the way to many outstanding new discoveries. Journalists are invited to a live demonstration of the capabilities of this exciting new initiative in astronomy. The demonstration will take place at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Manchester, in the United Kingdom, on 20 January 2003, starting at 11:00. Sophisticated AVO tools will help scientists find the most distant supernovae - objects that reveal the cosmological makeup of our Universe. The tools are also helping astronomers measure the rate of birth of stars in extremely red and distant galaxies. Journalists will also have the opportunity to discuss the project with leading astronomers from across Europe. The new AVO website has been launched today, explaining the progress being made in this European Commission-funded project: URL: http://www.euro-vo.org/ To register your intention to attend the AVO First Light Demonstration, please provide your name and affiliation by January 13, 2003, to: Ian Morison, Jodrell Bank Observatory (full contact details below). Information on getting to the event is included on the webpage above. Programme for the AVO First Light Demonstration 11:00 Welcome, Phil Diamond (University of Manchester/Jodrell Bank Observatory) 11:05 Short introduction to Virtual Observatories, Piero Benvenuti (ESA/ST-ECF) 11:15 Q&A 11:20 Short introduction to the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory, Peter Quinn (ESO) 11:30 Q&A 11:35 Screening of Video News Release 11:40 Demonstration of the AVO prototype, Nicholas Walton (University of Cambridge) 12:00 Q&A, including interview possibilities with the scientists 12:30-13:45 Buffet lunch, including individual hands-on demos 14:00 Science Demo (also open to interested journalists) For more information about Virtual Observatories and the AVO, see the website or the explanation below. Notes to editors The AVO involves several partner organisations led by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The other partner organisations are the European Space Agency (ESA), AstroGrid (funded by PPARC as part of the UK's E-Science programme), the CNRS-supported Centre de Données Astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS), the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, France, the CNRS-supported TERAPIX astronomical data centre at the Institut d'Astrophysique in Paris, France, and the Jodrell Bank Observatory of the Victoria University of Manchester, United Kingdom. Note [1]: This is a joint Press Release issued by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre, AstroGrid, CDS, TERAPIX/CNRS and the University of Manchester. Science Contacts Peter J. Quinn European Southern Observatory (ESO) Garching, Germany Tel: +49-89-3200 -6509 email: pjq@eso.org Phil Diamond University of Manchester/Jodrell Bank Observatory United Kingdom Tel: +44-147-757-26-25 (0147 in the United Kingdom) email: pdiamond@jb.man.ac.uk Press contacts Ian Morison University of Manchester/Jodrell Bank Observatory United Kingdom Tel: +44-147-757-26-10 (0147 in the United Kingdom) E-mail: email: im@jb.man.ac.uk Lars Lindberg Christensen Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre Garching, Germany Tel: +49-89-3200-6306 (089 in Germany) Cellular (24 hr): +49-173-3872-621 (0173 in Germany) email: lars@eso.org Richard West (ESO EPR Dept.) ESO EPR Dept. Garching, Germany Phone: +49-89-3200-6276 email: rwest@eso.org Background information What is a Virtual Observatory? - A short introduction The Virtual Observatory is an international astronomical community-based initiative. It aims to allow global electronic access to the available astronomical data archives of space and ground-based observatories, sky survey databases. It also aims to enable data analysis techniques through a coordinating entity that will provide common standards, wide-network bandwidth, and state-of-the-art analysis tools. It is now possible to have powerful and expensive new observing facilities at wavelengths from the radio to the X-ray and gamma-ray regions. Together with advanced instrumentation techniques, a vast new array of astronomical data sets will soon be forthcoming at all wavelengths. These very large databases must be archived and made accessible in a systematic and uniform manner to realise the full potential of the new observing facilities. The Virtual Observatory aims to provide the framework for global access to the various data archives by facilitating the standardisation of archiving and data-mining protocols. The AVO will also take advantage of state-of-the-art advances in data-handling software in astronomy and in other fields. The Virtual Observatory initiative is currently aiming at a global collaboration of the astronomical communities in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Australia under the auspices of the recently formed International Virtual Observatory Alliance. The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory - An Introduction The breathtaking capabilities and ultrahigh efficiency of new ground and space observatories have led to a 'data explosion' calling for innovative ways to process, explore, and exploit these data. Researchers must now turn to the GRID paradigm of distributed computing and resources to solve complex, front-line research problems. To implement this new IT paradigm, you have to join existing astronomical data centres and archives into an interoperating and single unit. This new astronomical data resource will form a Virtual Observatory (VO) so that astronomers can explore the digital Universe in the new archives across the entire spectrum. Similarly to how a real observatory consists of telescopes, each with a collection of unique astronomical instruments, the VO consists of a collection of data centres each with unique collections of astronomical data, software systems, and processing capabilities. The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory Project (AVO) will conduct a research and demonstration programme on the scientific requirements and technologies necessary to build a VO for European astronomy. The AVO has been jointly funded by the European Commission (under FP5 - Fifth Framework Programme) with six European organisations participating in a three year Phase-A work programme, valued at 5 million Euro. The partner organisations are the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Munich, Germany, the European Space Agency (ESA), AstroGrid (funded by PPARC as part of the UK's E-Science programme), the CNRS-supported Centre de Données Astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS), the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, France, the CNRS-supported TERAPIX astronomical data centre at the Institut d'Astrophysique in Paris, France, and the Jodrell Bank Observatory of the Victoria University of Manchester, United Kingdom. The Phase A program will focus its effort in the following areas: * A detailed description of the science requirements for the AVO will be constructed, following the experience gained in a smaller-scale science demonstration program called ASTROVIRTEL (Accessing Astronomical Archives as Virtual Telescopes). * The difficult issue of data and archive interoperability will be addressed by new standards definitions for astronomical data and trial programmes of "joins" between specific target archives within the project team. * The necessary GRID and database technologies will be assessed and tested for use within a full AVO implementation. The AVO project is currently working in conjunction with other international VO efforts in the United States and Asia-Pacific region. This is part of an International Virtual Observatory Alliance to define essential new data standards so that the VO concept can have a global dimension. The AVO partners will join with all astronomical data centres in Europe to put forward an FP6 IST (Sixth Framework Programme - Information Society Technologies Programme) Integrated Project proposal to make a European VO fully operational by the end of 2007.

International Summer School on Astronomy and Space Science in Chile, first experience.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanova, M.; Arellano-Baeza, A. A.

I International Summer School on Astronomy and Space Science took place in the Elqui Valley Chile January 15-29 2005 Eighty 12-17 year old students from Chile Russia Venezuela and Bulgaria obtained a valuable experience to work together with outstanding scientists from Chile and Russia and with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Balandine They also had opportunity to visit the main astronomical observatories and to participate in workshops dedicated to the telescope and satellite design and remote sensing This activity was supported by numerous institutions in Chile including the Ministry of Education the European Southern Observatory Chilean Space Agency Chilean Air Force Latin American Association of Space Geophysics the principal Chilean universities and the First Lady Mrs Luisa Duran

KSC-99pp1059

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-08-19

STS-93 Commander Eileen M. Collins signs autographs after a mission presentation for KSC employees. The five-day mission primarily released the Chandra X-ray Observatory, allowing scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. STS-93 was also the first mission to have a woman serving as Shuttle commander

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) lifts off from Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, on Aug. 25 at 1:35:39 a.m. EDT. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) lifts off from Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, on Aug. 25 at 1:35:39 a.m. EDT. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) waits for encapsulation. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) waits for encapsulation. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

Swift Observatory Space Simulation Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Espiritu, Mellina; Choi, Michael K.; Scocik, Christopher S.

2004-01-01

The Swift Observatory is a Middle-Class Explorer (MIDEX) mission that is a rapidly re-pointing spacecraft with immediate data distribution capability to the astronomical community. Its primary objectives are to characterize and determine the origin of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) and to use the collected data on GRB phenomena in order to probe the universe and gain insight into the physics of black hole formation and early universe. The main components of the spacecraft are the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT), X-Ray Telescope (XRT), and Optical Bench (OB) instruments coupled with the Swift spacecraft (S/C) bus. The Swift Observatory will be tested at the Space Environment Simulation (SES) chamber at the Goddard Space Flight Center from May to June 2004 in order to characterize its thermal behavior in a vacuum environment. In order to simulate the independent thermal zones required by the BAT, XRT, UVOT, and OB instruments, the spacecraft is mounted on a chariot structure capable of maintaining adiabatic interfaces and enclosed in a modified, four section MSX fixture in order to accommodate the strategic placement of seven cryopanels (on four circuits), four heater panels, and a radiation source burst simulator mechanism. There are additionally 55 heater circuits on the spacecraft. To mitigate possible migration of silicone contaminants from BAT to the XRT and UVOT instruments, a contamination enclosure is to be fabricated around the BAT at the uppermost section of the MSX fixture. This paper discuses the test requirements and implemented thermal vacuum test configuration for the Swift Observatory.

New Constraints on ΩM, ΩΛ, and w from an Independent Set of 11 High-Redshift Supernovae Observed with the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knop, R. A.; Aldering, G.; Amanullah, R.; Astier, P.; Blanc, G.; Burns, M. S.; Conley, A.; Deustua, S. E.; Doi, M.; Ellis, R.; Fabbro, S.; Folatelli, G.; Fruchter, A. S.; Garavini, G.; Garmond, S.; Garton, K.; Gibbons, R.; Goldhaber, G.; Goobar, A.; Groom, D. E.; Hardin, D.; Hook, I.; Howell, D. A.; Kim, A. G.; Lee, B. C.; Lidman, C.; Mendez, J.; Nobili, S.; Nugent, P. E.; Pain, R.; Panagia, N.; Pennypacker, C. R.; Perlmutter, S.; Quimby, R.; Raux, J.; Regnault, N.; Ruiz-Lapuente, P.; Sainton, G.; Schaefer, B.; Schahmaneche, K.; Smith, E.; Spadafora, A. L.; Stanishev, V.; Sullivan, M.; Walton, N. A.; Wang, L.; Wood-Vasey, W. M.; Yasuda, N.

2003-11-01

We report measurements of ΩM, ΩΛ, and w from 11 supernovae (SNe) at z=0.36-0.86 with high-quality light curves measured using WFPC2 on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). This is an independent set of high-redshift SNe that confirms previous SN evidence for an accelerating universe. The high-quality light curves available from photometry on WFPC2 make it possible for these 11 SNe alone to provide measurements of the cosmological parameters comparable in statistical weight to the previous results. Combined with earlier Supernova Cosmology Project data, the new SNe yield a measurement of the mass density ΩM=0.25+0.07-0.06(statistical)+/-0.04 (identified systematics), or equivalently, a cosmological constant of ΩΛ=0.75+0.06-0.07(statistical)+/-0.04 (identified systematics), under the assumptions of a flat universe and that the dark energy equation-of-state parameter has a constant value w=-1. When the SN results are combined with independent flat-universe measurements of ΩM from cosmic microwave background and galaxy redshift distortion data, they provide a measurement of w=-1.05+0.15-0.20(statistical)+/-0.09 (identified systematic), if w is assumed to be constant in time. In addition to high-precision light-curve measurements, the new data offer greatly improved color measurements of the high-redshift SNe and hence improved host galaxy extinction estimates. These extinction measurements show no anomalous negative E(B-V) at high redshift. The precision of the measurements is such that it is possible to perform a host galaxy extinction correction directly for individual SNe without any assumptions or priors on the parent E(B-V) distribution. Our cosmological fits using full extinction corrections confirm that dark energy is required with P(ΩΛ>0)>0.99, a result consistent with previous and current SN analyses that rely on the identification of a low-extinction subset or prior assumptions concerning the intrinsic extinction distribution. Based in part on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with programs GO-7336, GO-7590, and GO-8346. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. Based in part on observations obtained at the WIYN Observatory, which is a joint facility of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Indiana University, Yale University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory. Based in part on observations made with the European Southern Observatory telescopes (ESO programs 60.A-0586 and 265.A-5721). Based in part on observations made with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, operated by the National Research Council of Canada, le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique de France, and the University of Hawaii.

Astronomical Honeymoon Continues as X-Ray Observatory Marks First Anniversary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-08-01

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory celebrates its initial year in orbit with an impressive list of firsts. Through Chandra's unique X-ray vision, scientists have seen for the first time the full impact of a blast wave from an exploding star, a flare from a brown dwarf, and a small galaxy being cannibalized by a larger one. Chandra is the third in NASA's family of great observatories, complementing the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. "Our goal is to identify never-before-seen phenomena, whether they're new or millions of years old. All this leads to a better understanding of our universe, " said Martin Weisskopf, chief project scientist for the Chandra program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. "Indeed, Chandra has changed the way we look at the universe." Chandra was launched in July 1999. After only two months in space, the observatory revealed a brilliant ring around the heart of the Crab Pulsar in the Crab Nebula ­ the remains of a stellar explosion ­ providing clues about how the nebula is energized by a pulsing neutron, or collapsed, star. Chandra also detected a faint X-ray source in the Milky Way galaxy, which may be the long-sought X-ray emission from the known massive black hole at the galaxy's center. A black hole is a region of space with so much concentrated mass there is no way for a nearby object, even light, to escape its gravitational pull. The observatory captured as well an image that revealed gas funneling into a massive black hole in the heart of a galaxy, two million light years from our own Milky Way, is much cooler than expected. "Chandra is teaching us to expect the unexpected about all sorts of objects ranging from comets in our solar system and relatively nearby brown dwarfs to distant black holes billions of light years away," said Harvey Tananbaum, director of the Chandra X-ray Center in Cambridge, MA. Perhaps one of Chandra's greatest contributions to X-ray astronomy is the resolution of the X-ray background, a glow throughout the universe whose source or sources are unknown. Astronomers are now pinpointing the various sources of the X-ray glow because Chandra has resolution eight times better than that of previous X-ray telescopes, and is able to detect sources more than 20 times fainter. "The Chandra team had to develop technologies and processes never tried before," said Tony Lavoie, Chandra program manager at Marshall. "One example is that we built and validated a measurement system to make sure the huge cylindrical mirrors of the telescope were ground correctly and polished to the right shape." The polishing effort resulted in an ultra-smooth surface for all eight of Chandra's mirrors. If the state of Colorado were as smooth as the surface of Chandra's mirrors, Pike's Peak would be less than an inch tall. "Chandra has experienced a great first year of discovery and we look forward to many more tantalizing science results as the mission continues," said Alan Bunner, program director, Structure and Evolution of the universe, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. Marshall manages the Chandra program for the Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters. TRW Space and Electronics Group, Redondo Beach, CA, is the prime contractor. Using glass purchased from Schott Glaswerke, Mainz, Germany, the telescope's mirrors were built by Raytheon Optical Systems Inc., Danbury, CT, coated by Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA, and assembled and inserted into the telescope portion of Chandra by Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, NY. The scientific instruments were supplied by collaborations led by Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; and the Space Research Organization Netherlands, Utrecht. The Smithsonian's Chandra X-ray Center controls science and operations from Cambridge, working with astronomers around the globe to record the activities of the universe. To follow Chandra's progress, visit the Chandra site at: http://chandra.harvard.edu AND http://chandra.nasa.gov

Golden legacy from ESA's observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-07-01

ISO was the first space observatory able to see the sky in infrared light. Using its eyes, we have discovered many new phenomena that have radically changed our view of the Universe. Everybody knows that when something is heated it glows. However, things also glow with a light our eyes cannot detect at room temperature: infrared light. Infrared telescopes do not work well on the Earth’s surface because such light is absorbed by the atmosphere. ISO looked at the cold parts of the universe, usually the 'cold and dusty' parts. It peered into clouds of dust and gas where stars were being born, observing for the first time the earliest stages of star formation. It discovered, for example, that stars begin to form at temperatures as low as -250°C or less. Scientists were able to follow the evolution of dust from where it is produced (that is, old stars - the massive 'dust factories') to the regions where it forms new planetary systems. ISO found that most young stars are surrounded by discs of dust that could harbour planets. The observatory also analysed the chemical composition of cosmic dust, thereby opening up a new field of research, ‘astromineralogy’. With ISO we have been able to discover the presence of water in many different regions in space. Another new discipline, 'astrochemistry', was boosted when ISO discovered that the water molecule is common in the Universe, even in distant galaxies, and complex organic molecules like benzene readily form in the surroundings of some stars. "ISO results are impacting most fields of astronomical research, almost literally from comets to cosmology," explains Alberto Salama, ISO Project Scientist. "Some results answer questions. Others open new fields. Some are already being followed up by existing telescopes; others have to await future facilities." When ISO's operational life ended, in 1998, its observations became freely available to the world scientific community via ISO’s data archive. In May 2003 the 'milestone number' of 1000 scientific papers was reached. Even now ISO's data archive remains a valuable source of new results. For example, some of the latest papers describe the detection of water in 'protostars', which are stars in the process of being born, and studies of numerous nearby galaxies. "Of course we were confident ISO was going to do very well, but its actual productivity has been far beyond our expectations. The publication rate does not even seem to have peaked yet! We expect many more results," Salama says. Note for editors ISO's data archive contains scientific data from about 30 000 observations. Astronomers from all over the world have downloaded almost eight times the equivalent of the entire scientific archive. As much as 35% of all ISO observations have already been published at least once in prestigious scientific journals. ESA is now preparing to continue its infrared investigation of the Universe. The next generation of infrared space observatories is already in the pipeline. ISO is to be followed by the NASA SIRTF observatory to be launched later this year. Then, in 2007, ESA will follow up the pioneering work of ISO with the Herschel Space Observatory, which will become the largest imaging telescope ever put into space. ISO The Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) was launched in 1995 and operated from November that year to May 1998, when it ran out of the coolant needed to keep its detectors working. At the time it was the most sensitive infrared satellite ever launched and made particularly important studies of the dusty regions of the Universe, where visible light telescopes can see nothing. ESA will reopen its examination of the infrared Universe when Herschel is launched in 2007. Herschel Herschel will be the largest space telescope when, in 2007, it is launched on an Ariane-5 rocket, together with ESA’s cosmology mission, Planck. Herschel’s 3.5-metre diameter mirror will collect longwave infrared radiation from some of the coolest and most distant objects in the Universe. These include forming stars and galaxies.

KSC-99pp1058

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-08-19

STS-93 Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby signs autographs after a mission presentation for KSC employees. The five-day mission primarily released the Chandra X-ray Observatory, allowing scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. STS-93 was also the first mission to have a woman, Eileen M. Collins, serving as Shuttle commander

Space Motions of Low-Mass Stars. III.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Upgren, A. R.; Sperauskas, J.; Boyle, R. P.

Radial velocity observations are presented for 149 stars taken from the McCormick lists of dwarf K and M stars in a continuing program of radial velocities of faint nearby stars. The data will serve to derive a total stellar density of these kinds of stars in the solar neighborhood. These data were obtained with the spectrometer of the Vilnius University Observatory mounted on the 1.6 m Kuiper Telescope of the Steward Observatory.

Spitzer Space Telescope in-orbit checkout and science verification operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linick, Sue H.; Miles, John W.; Gilbert, John B.; Boyles, Carol A.

2004-01-01

Spitzer Space Telescope, the fourth and final of NASA's great observatories, and the first mission in NASA's Origins Program was launched 25 August 2003 into an Earth-trailing solar orbit. The observatory was designed to probe and explore the universe in the infrared. Before science data could be acquired, however, the observatory had to be initialized, characterized, calibrated, and commissioned. A two phased operations approach was defined to complete this work. These phases were identified as In-Orbit Checkout (IOC) and Science Verification (SV). Because the observatory lifetime is cryogen-limited these operations had to be highly efficient. The IOC/SV operations design accommodated a pre-defined distributed organizational structure and a complex, cryogenic flight system. Many checkout activities were inter-dependent, and therefore the operations concept and ground data system had to provide the flexibility required for a 'short turn-around' environment. This paper describes the adaptive operations system design and evolution, implementation, and lessons-learned from the completion of IOC/SV.

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-12-09

This is a presentation of two comparison images of the Spiral Galaxy M81 in the constellation URA Major. The galaxy is about 12-million light years from Earth. The left image is the Spiral Galaxy M81 as photographed by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) during the Astro-1 Mission (STS-35) on December 9, 1990. This UIT photograph, made with ultraviolet light, reveals regions where new stars are forming at a rapid rate. The right image is a photograph of the same galaxy in red light made with a 36-inch (0.9-meter) telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. The Astro Observatory was designed to explore the universe by observing and measuring ultraviolet radiation from celestial objects. Three instruments made up the Astro Observatory: The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimetry Experiment (WUPPE). The Marshall Space Flight Center had management responsibilities for the Astro-1 mission. The Astro-1 Observatory was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS-35) on December 2, 1990.

Report On Fiducial Points At The Space Geodesy Based Cagliari Astronomical Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banni, A.; Buffa, F.; Falchi, E.; Sanna, G.

At the present time two research groups are engaged to space-geodesy activities in Sardinia: a staff belonging to the Stazione Astronomica of Cagliari (SAC) and the To- pography Section of the Dipartimento di Ingegneria Strutturale (DIST) of the Cagliari University. The two groups have a share in international campaigns and services. The local structure, consists of permanent stations of satellite observation both on radio and laser techniques. Particularly in the Cagliari Observatory a Satellite Laser Ranging system runs with nearly daily, low, medium and high orbit satellite tracking capability (e. g. Topex, Ajisai, Lageos1/2, Glonass); up to this time the Cagliari laser station has contributed towards the following international campaigns/organizations. Besides in the Observatory's site a fixed GPS system, belonging the Italian Space Agency GPS- Network and to the IGS-Network; and a GPS+GLONASS system, acquired by DIST and belonging to the IGLOS are installed and managed. All the above stations are furnished with meteorological sensors with RINEX format data dissemination avail- ability. Moreover a new 64 meters dish radio telescope (Sardinian Radio Telescope), geodetic VLBI equipped, is under construction not long away from the Observatory. The poster fully shows the facilities and furnishes a complete report on the mark- ers eccentricities, allowing co-location of the different space techniques operating in Sardinia.

KSC-99pp0619

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-01

The Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster is lowered toward a workstand in Kennedy Space Center's Vertical Processing Facility. The IUS will be mated with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and then undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0618

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-01

The Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster is moved toward a workstand in Kennedy Space Center's Vertical Processing Facility. The IUS will be mated with the Chandra X-ray Observatory and then undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers move the first half of the fairing around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) behind it for encapsulation. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers move the first half of the fairing around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) behind it for encapsulation. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the top of the fairing is seen as it moves into place around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the top of the fairing is seen as it moves into place around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first half of the fairing is moved around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first half of the fairing is moved around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first half of the fairing (background) moves toward the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (foreground) for encapsulation. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first half of the fairing (background) moves toward the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (foreground) for encapsulation. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers watch as the first half of the fairing moves closer around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-14

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers watch as the first half of the fairing moves closer around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

A scientific program for infrared, submillimeter and radio astronomy from space: A report by the Management Operations Working Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Important and fundamental scientific progress can be attained through space observations in the wavelengths longward of 1 micron. The formation of galaxies, stars, and planets, the origin of quasars and the nature of active galactic nuclei, the large scale structure of the Universe, and the problem of the missing mass, are among the major scientific issues that can be addressed by these observations. Significant advances in many areas of astrophysics can be made over the next 20 years by implementing the outlined program. This program combines large observatories with smaller projects to create an overall scheme that emphasized complementarity and synergy, advanced technology, community support and development, and the training of the next generation of scientists. Key aspects of the program include: the Space Infrared Telescope Facility; the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy; a robust program of small missions; and the creation of the technology base for future major observatories.

Possible Space-Based Gravitational-Wave Observatory Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livas, Jeffrey C.

2015-01-01

The existence of gravitational waves was established by the discovery of the Binary Pulsar PSR 1913+16 by Hulse and Taylor in 1974, for which they were awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize. However, it is the exploitation of these gravitational waves for the extraction of the astrophysical parameters of the sources that will open the first new astronomical window since the development of gamma ray telescopes in the 1970's and enable a new era of discovery and understanding of the Universe. Direct detection is expected in at least two frequency bands from the ground before the end of the decade with Advanced LIGO and Pulsar Timing Arrays. However, many of the most exciting sources will be continuously observable in the band from 0.1-100 mHz, accessible only from space due to seismic noise and gravity gradients in that band that disturb ground-based observatories. This poster will discuss a possible mission concept, Space-based Gravitational-wave Observatory (SGO-Mid) developed from the original Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) reference mission but updated to reduce risk and cost.

KSC-06pd2389

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The mobile service tower (right) begins to roll away from the STEREO spacecraft aboard the Delta II launch vehicle in preparation for launch. Liftoff is scheduled in a window between 8:38 and 8:53 p.m. on Oct. 25. STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is a two-year mission using two nearly identical observatories, one ahead of Earth in its orbit and the other trailing behind. The duo will provide 3-D measurements of the sun and its flow of energy, enabling scientists to study the nature of coronal mass ejections and why they happen. The ejections are a major source of the magnetic disruptions on Earth and are a key component of space weather. The disruptions can greatly effect satellite operations, communications, power systems, humans in space and global climate. Designed and built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) , the STEREO mission is being managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. APL will maintain command and control of the observatories throughout the mission, while NASA tracks and receives the data, determines the orbit of the satellites, and coordinates the science results. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd2388

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The mobile service tower begins to roll away from the STEREO spacecraft aboard the Delta II launch vehicle in preparation for launch. Liftoff is scheduled in a window between 8:38 and 8:53 p.m. on Oct. 25. STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is a two-year mission using two nearly identical observatories, one ahead of Earth in its orbit and the other trailing behind. The duo will provide 3-D measurements of the sun and its flow of energy, enabling scientists to study the nature of coronal mass ejections and why they happen. The ejections are a major source of the magnetic disruptions on Earth and are a key component of space weather. The disruptions can greatly effect satellite operations, communications, power systems, humans in space and global climate. Designed and built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) , the STEREO mission is being managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. APL will maintain command and control of the observatories throughout the mission, while NASA tracks and receives the data, determines the orbit of the satellites, and coordinates the science results. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd2390

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The mobile service tower (left) rolls away from the STEREO spacecraft aboard the Delta II launch vehicle in preparation for launch. Liftoff is scheduled in a window between 8:38 and 8:53 p.m. on Oct. 25. STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is a two-year mission using two nearly identical observatories, one ahead of Earth in its orbit and the other trailing behind. The duo will provide 3-D measurements of the sun and its flow of energy, enabling scientists to study the nature of coronal mass ejections and why they happen. The ejections are a major source of the magnetic disruptions on Earth and are a key component of space weather. The disruptions can greatly effect satellite operations, communications, power systems, humans in space and global climate. Designed and built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) , the STEREO mission is being managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. APL will maintain command and control of the observatories throughout the mission, while NASA tracks and receives the data, determines the orbit of the satellites, and coordinates the science results. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd2394

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Delta II launch vehicle carrying the STEREO spacecraft hurtles through the smoke and steam after liftoff from Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Liftoff was at 8:52 p.m. EDT. STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is a two-year mission using two nearly identical observatories, one ahead of Earth in its orbit and the other trailing behind. The duo will provide 3-D measurements of the sun and its flow of energy, enabling scientists to study the nature of coronal mass ejections and why they happen. The ejections are a major source of the magnetic disruptions on Earth and are a key component of space weather. The disruptions can greatly effect satellite operations, communications, power systems, humans in space and global climate. Designed and built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) , the STEREO mission is being managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. APL will maintain command and control of the observatories throughout the mission, while NASA tracks and receives the data, determines the orbit of the satellites, and coordinates the science results.

KSC-06pd2401

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Delta II rocket carrying the STEREO spacecraft on top streaks through the smoke as it climbs to orbit. Liftoff from Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was at 8:52 p.m. EDT. STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is a two-year mission using two nearly identical observatories, one ahead of Earth in its orbit and the other trailing behind. The duo will provide 3-D measurements of the sun and its flow of energy, enabling scientists to study the nature of coronal mass ejections and why they happen. The ejections are a major source of the magnetic disruptions on Earth and are a key component of space weather. The disruptions can greatly effect satellite operations, communications, power systems, humans in space and global climate. Designed and built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) , the STEREO mission is being managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. APL will maintain command and control of the observatories throughout the mission, while NASA tracks and receives the data, determines the orbit of the satellites, and coordinates the science results.

A Supernova Shockwaves

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-13

Supernovae are the explosive deaths of the universe most massive stars. This false-color composite from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope and NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory shows the remnant of N132D, the wispy pink shell of gas at center.

Education and Public Outreach Programs at Columbus State University's Mead Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruzen, S.; Rutland, C.; Carr, D.; Seckinger, M.

2003-12-01

Columbus State University (CSU) has made a substantial commitment to community education in astronomy and space science. Through the programs of the Mead Observatory at CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science Center, students, staff and faculty have been providing public outreach programs in astronomy for more than seven years. Recently, a generous grant from a private foundation has facilitated an astounding growth in the observatory's astronomy outreach activities. The grant made possible the purchase of a van, a portable planetarium, and additional telescope and computer equipment. It also funded a two-year scholarship that has supported a pair of CSU's science education majors who have staffed the program and made it a success. NASA, through the Georgia Space Grant Consortium, has provided additional funding for scholarships for 2003-2004. Prior to receiving these funds, the observatory program consisted of monthly open houses, occasional public observing nights at remote locations and approximately 6 to 8 school visits per year. Annually, these programs served approximately 3500 people. Since beginning the new phase of this program in October of 2001, the number of people served has soared to more than 23,000 in only 24 months. Over 60 schools have been visited, increasing our previous annual rate by nearly five times. Additional groups served include boys and girls scouting groups, state parks and other community organizations. School presentations have been designed to assist K-12 teachers in meeting science education standards. More than 200 teachers were asked to assess the program, and their responses were quite positive. More information about the program is available at our website (http://www.ccssc.org).

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-20

Alan Title, second from left, principal investigator, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory in Palo Alto, speaks during a briefing to discuss recent images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at the Newseum in Washington. Launched on Feb. 11, 2010, SDO is the most advanced spacecraft ever designed to study the sun. During its five-year mission, it will examine the sun's magnetic field and also provide a better understanding of the role the sun plays in Earth's atmospheric chemistry and climate. Pictured from left to right: Dean Pesnell, SDO project scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Alan Title, Philip H. Scherrer, principal investigator, Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument, Stanford University in Palo Alto, Tom Woods, principal investigator, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment instrument, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado in Boulder and Madhulika Guhathakurta, SDO program scientist, NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Science with the Space Infrared Telescope Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roellig, Thomas L.

2003-01-01

The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), the fourth and final member of NASA's series of Great Observatories, is scheduled to launch on April 15,2003. Together with the Hubbie Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma ray Telescope, and the Chandra X-Ray Telescope this series of observatories offers observational capabilities across the electromagnetic spectrum from the infrared to high-energy gamma rays. SIRTF is based on three focal plane instruments - an infrared spectrograph and two infrared imagers - coupled to a superfluid-helium cooled telescope to achieve unprecedented sensitivity from 3 to 180 microns. Although SIRTF is a powerful general-purpose infrared observatory, its design was based on the capability to address four broad science themes: (1) understanding the structure and composition of the early universe, (2) understanding the nature of brown dwarfs and super-planets, (3) probing protostellar, protoplanetary, and planetary debris disk systems, and (4) understanding the origin and structure of ultraluminous infrared galaxies and active galactic nuclei. This talk will address the design and capabilities of the SIRTF observatory, provide an overview of some of the initial science investigations planned by the SIRTF Guaranteed Time Observers, and give a brief overview of the General Observer proposal process.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-01

In this photograph, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) was installed and mated to the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) inside the Shuttle Columbia's cargo bay at the Kennedy Space Center. The CXO will help astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. X-ray astronomy can only be done from space because Earth's atmosphere blocks x-rays from reaching the surface. The Observatory provides images that are 50 times more detailed than previous x-ray missions. At more than 45 feet in length and weighing more than 5 tons, the CXO was carried into low-Earth orbit by the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93 mission) on July 22, 1999. The Observatory was deployed from the Shuttle's cargo bay at 155 miles above the Earth. Two firings of an attached IUS rocket, and several firings of its own onboard rocket motors, after separating from the IUS, placed the Observatory into its working orbit. The IUS is a solid rocket used to place spacecraft into orbit or boost them away from the Earth on interplanetary missions. Since its first use by NASA in 1983, the IUS has supported a variety of important missions, such as the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, Galileo spacecraft, Magellan spacecraft, and Ulysses spacecraft. The IUS was built by the Boeing Aerospace Co., at Seattle, Washington and managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Chandra Fellows Named

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1999-02-01

Six scientists have been chosen as Fellows of the second annual Chandra X-ray Observatory Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The fellowships are open to recent astronomy and astrophysics graduates worldwide. This year's winners will work for three years at a host astronomical institution in the United States where they will research problems broadly related to the scientific mission of the Chandra Observatory. The Chandra X-ray Observatory Fellowship Program is a joint venture between NASA and the Chandra X-ray Observatory Center in cooperation with the host institutions. The 1999 Fellows are: Markus Boettcher, a graduate of Bonn University, whose host institution will be Rice University; Jimmy Irwin, a graduate of the University of Virginia, will be hosted by the University of Michigan; Kristen Menou, a graduate of the University of Paris, will be hosted by Princeton University; Eliot Quataert, a graduate of Harvard University, will be hosted by the Institute for Advanced Study; Rudy Wijnands, a graduate of the University of Amsterdam, will be hosted by MIT; and Amy Barger, a graduate of Cambridge University, is a Fellow at large at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy. The Chandra Fellowship Program attracted forty-five applicants from eleven countries. A member of the review panel commented, "I found it extremely difficult to choose between the many excellent entries." "We are very pleased with the response to the program, and I am confident that the work of these fellows will enhance our understanding of the scientific problems to be explored by the Chandra X-ray Observatory," said Nancy Remage Evans, coordinator of the Fellowship Program. NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, formerly know as AXAF, will provide stunning new images and data of the extremely hot, active regions in the universe. Such regions exist where stars have exploded, where matter is swirling into black holes, and where clusters of galaxies are merging. A tentative launch date of July 9, 1999 has been set by NASA for the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-93, commanded by astronaut Eileen Collins will carry the telescope into a low circular orbit of Earth. There the astronauts will deploy the Chandra spacecraft, which will then fire two Boeing Inertial Upper Stage solid motors in succession to place Chandra in a highly elliptical orbit. This orbit will be fine-tuned by the spacecraft's integral propulsion system made by TRW, until it reaches its final height of 10,000 km by 140,000 km. Further information about the Chandra X-ray Observatory is available at the World Wide Web at http://chandra.harvard.edu/. Further information about the Fellowship program is available at http://asc.harvard.edu/fellows/

NASA Extends Chandra X-ray Observatory Contract with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2002-07-01

NASA NASA has extended its contract with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass. to August 2003 to provide science and operational support for the Chandra X- ray Observatory, one of the world's most powerful tools to better understand the structure and evolution of the universe. The contract is an 11-month period of performance extension to the Chandra X-ray Center contract, with an estimated value of 50.75 million. Total contract value is now 298.2 million. The contract extension resulted from the delay of the launch of the Chandra X-ray Observatory from August 1998 to July 1999. The revised period of performance will continue the contract through Aug. 31, 2003, which is 48 months beyond operational checkout of the observatory. The contract type is cost reimbursement with no fee. The contract covers mission operations and data analysis, which includes both the observatory operations and the science data processing and general observer (astronomer) support. The observatory operations tasks include monitoring the health and status of the observatory and developing and distributing by satellite the observation sequences during Chandra's communication coverage periods. The science data processing tasks include the competitive selection, planning, and coordination of science observations with the general observers and the processing and delivery of the resulting scientific data. Each year, there are on the order of 200 to 250 observing proposals selected out of about 800 submitted, with a total amount of observing time about 20 million seconds. X-ray astronomy can only be performed from space because Earth's atmosphere blocks X-rays from reaching the surface. The Chandra Observatory travels one-third of the way to the Moon during its orbit around the Earth every 64 hours. At its highest point, Chandra's highly elliptical, or egg-shaped, orbit is 200 times higher than that of its visible-light- gathering sister, the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., manages the Chandra Program for the Office of Space Science in Washington. The development contractor for the spacecraft was TRW, Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif. The Smithsonian's Chandra X-ray Center controls science and flight operations from Cambridge.

An Intensive Hubble Space Telescope Survey for z>1 Type Ia Supernovae by

Science.gov Websites

Targ SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service Title: An Intensive Hubble Space Telescope Survey Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; E. O. Lawrence Berkeley National , Clinton, NY 13323, USA), AH(National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ 85726-6732, USA), AI

The astrophysics program at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellerin, C. J.

1990-01-01

Three broad themes characterize the goals of the Astrophysics Division at NASA. These are obtaining an understanding of the origin and evolution of the universe, the fundamental laws of physics, and the birth and evolutionary cycle of galaxies, stars, planets and life. These goals are pursued through contemporaneous observations across the electromagnetic spectrum with high sensitivity and resolution. The strategy to accomplish these goals is fourfold: the establishment of long term space based observatories implemented through the Great Observatories program; attainment of crucial bridging and supporting measurements visa missions of intermediate and small scope conducted within the Explorer, Spacelab, and Space Station Attached Payload Programs; enhancement of scientific access to results of space based research activities through an integrated data system; and development and maintenance of the scientific/technical base for space astrophysics programs through the research and analysis and suborbital programs. The near term activities supporting the first two objectives are discussed.

Astronomy from Space: The Hubble, Herschel and James Webb Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Jonathan P.

2009-01-01

Space-based astronomy is going through a renaissance, with three Great Observatories currently flying: Hubble in the visible and ultraviolet, Spitzer in the infrared and Chandra in X-rays. The future looks equally bright. The final servicing mission to Hubble will take place in February 2009 and promises to make the observatory more capable than ever with two new cameras, and refurbishment that will allow it to last at least five years. The upcoming launch of the Herschel Space Telescope will open the far-infrared to explore the cool and dusty Universe. Finally, we look forward to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope in 2013, which wil provide a successor to both Hubble and Spitzer. In this talk, the author discusses some of the highlights of scientific discovery in the last 10 years and reveals the promise to the next 10 years.

KSC-99pp0772

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-27

In this fish-eye view, the Chandra X-ray Observatory rests inside the payload bay of the orbiter Columbia. Chandra is the primary payload on mission STS-93, scheduled to launch no earlier than July 20 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. The world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

Exploring the Digital Universe with Europe's Astrophysical Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-12-01

N° 73-2001 - Paris, 5 December 2001 The aim of AVO is to give astronomers instant access to the vast databanks now being built up by the world's observatories and forming what is in effect a "digital sky". Using AVO astronomers will be able, for example, to retrieve the elusive traces of the passage of an asteroid as it passes the Earth and so predict its future path and perhaps warn of a possible impact. When a giant star comes to the end of its life in a cataclysmic explosion called a supernova, they will be able to access the digital sky and pinpoint the star shortly before it exploded, adding invaluable data to the study of the evolution of stars. Modern observatories observe the sky continuously and data accumulates remorselessly in the digital archives. The growth rate is impressive and many hundreds of terabytes of data -corresponding to many thousands of billions of pixels - are already available to scientists. The real sky is being digitally reconstructed in the databanks. The volume and complexity of data and information available to astronomers are overwhelming. Hence the problem of how astronomers can possibly manage, distribute and analyse this great wealth of data. The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory will enable them to meet the challenge and "put the Universe online". AVO is a three-year project, funded by the European Commission under its Research and Technological Development (RTD) scheme, to design and implement a virtual observatory for the European astronomical community. The Commission has awarded a contract valued at EUR 4m for the project, starting on 15 November. AVO will provide software tools to enable astronomers to access the multi-wavelength data archives over the Internet and so give them the capability to resolve fundamental questions about the Universe by probing the digital sky. Equivalent searches of the "real" sky would, in comparison, both be prohibitively costly and take far too long. Towards a Global Virtual Observatory The need for virtual observatories has also been recognised by other astronomical communities. The National Science Foundation in the USA has awarded $10 million (EUR 11.4 m) for a National Virtual Observatory (NVO). The AVO project team has formed a close alliance with the NVO and both teams have representatives on each other's committees. It is clear to the NVO and AVO communities that there are no intrinsic boundaries to the virtual observatory concept and that all astronomers should be working towards a truly global virtual observatory that will enable new science to be carried out on the wealth of astronomical data held in the growing number of first-class international astronomical archives. AVO involves six partner organisations led by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Munich. The other partner organisations are the European Space Agency (ESA), the United Kingdom's ASTROGRID consortium, the CNRS-supported Centre de Données Astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) at the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, the CNRS-supported TERAPIX astronomical data centre at the Institut d'Astrophysique in Paris and the Jodrell Bank Observatory at the University of Manchester. Note for editors A 13-minute background video (broadcast PAL) is available from ESO PR and the Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre (addresses below). It will also be transmitted via satellite on Wednesday 12 December 2001 from 12:00 to 12:15 CET on the ESA TV Service: http://television.esa.int

Arecibo Observatory support of the US international cometary Explorer mission encounter at comet Giacobini-Zinner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gordon, D. D.; Ward, M. T.

1986-01-01

The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico participated in the support of the U.S. International Cometary Explorer (ICE) mission when the ICE spacecraft passed through the tail of comet Giacobini-Zinner on September 11, 1985. The Arecibo Observatory is a research facility of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) operated by Cornell University under contract to the National Science Foundation (NSF). Coverage of the encounter involved the use of the observatory's 305-m (1000-ft) radio reflector antenna and RF and data system equipment fabricated or modified specifically for support of the ICE mission. The successful implementation, testing, and operation of this temporary receive, record, and data relay capability resulted from a cooperative effort by personnel at the Arecibo Observatory, the Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

NASA Announces Contest to Name X-Ray Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-04-01

NASA is searching for a new name for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), currently scheduled for launch Dec. 3, 1998, from the Space Shuttle Columbia. AXAF is the third of NASA's Great Observatories, after the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Once in orbit around Earth, it will explore hot, turbulent regions in the universe where X-rays are produced. Dr. Alan Bunner, director of NASA's Structure and Evolution of the universe science program, will announce April 18 at the National Science Teacher's Association meeting in Las Vegas, NV, the start of a contest, open to people worldwide, to find a new name for the observatory. Entries should contain the name of a person (not living), place, or thing from history, mythology, or fiction. Contestants should describe in a few sentences why this choice would be a good name for AXAF. The name must not have been used before on space missions by NASA or other organizations or countries. The grand prize will be a trip to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL, to see the launch of the satellite aboard the Space Shuttle. Ten runner-up prizes will be awarded and all entrants will receive an AXAF poster. The grand prize is sponsored by TRW Inc., AXAF's prime contractor. The AXAF Science Center in Cambridge, MA, will run the contest for NASA. NASA will announce the final selection of the winning name later this year. Entries also can be mailed to: AXAF Contest, AXAF Science Center, Office of Education and Public Outreach, 60 Garden Street, MS 83, Cambridge, MA 02138. Mailed entries must be postmarked no later than June 30, 1998. All entries must state a name for the mission, along with the reason the name would make a good choice. The observatory, now in the final stages of assembly and testing at TRW's facility in Redondo Beach, CA, is more than 45 feet long and weighs 10,500 pounds. AXAF is the largest and most powerful X-ray observatory ever constructed, and its images will be more than ten times sharper than any previous X-ray telescope. This focusing power of the telescope is equivalent to the ability to read a newspaper at a distance of half a mile. Cosmic X-rays are produced by violent events, such as when stars explode or galaxies collide. X-rays also are emitted by matter heated to many millions of degrees as it swirls toward a black hole. The only way to observe these and other extremely hot astronomical sources is with a space-based X-ray telescope. Editor's Note (Dec 21, 1998): How the Chandra X-ray Observatory got its name: See the details of the contest and winning essays and the press release.

Exploring the Digital Universe with Europe's Astrophysical Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-12-01

Vast Databanks at the Astronomers' Fingertips Summary A new European initiative called the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (AVO) is being launched to provide astronomers with a breathtaking potential for new discoveries. It will enable them to seamlessly combine the data from both ground- and space-based telescopes which are making observations of the Universe across the whole range of wavelengths - from high-energy gamma rays through the ultraviolet and visible to the infrared and radio. The aim of the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (AVO) project, which started on 15 November 2001, is to allow astronomers instant access to the vast databanks now being built up by the world's observatories and which are forming what is, in effect, a "digital sky" . Using the AVO, astronomers will, for example, be able to retrieve the elusive traces of the passage of an asteroid as it passes near the Earth and so enable them to predict its future path and perhaps warn of a possible impact. When a giant star comes to the end of its life in a cataclysmic explosion called a supernova, they will be able to access the digital sky and pinpoint the star shortly before it exploded so adding invaluable data to the study of the evolution of stars. Background information on the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory is available in the Appendix. PR Photo 34a/01 : The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory - an artist's impression. The rapidly accumulating database ESO PR Photo 34a/01 ESO PR Photo 34a/01 [Preview - JPEG: 400 x 345 pix - 90k] [Normal - JPEG: 800 x 689 pix - 656k] [Hi-Res - JPEG: 3000 x 2582 pix - 4.3M] ESO PR Photo 34a/01 shows an artist's impression of the Astrophysical Virtual Observatory . Modern observatories observe the sky continuously and data accumulates remorselessly in the digital archives. The growth rate is impressive and many hundreds of terabytes of data - corresponding to many thousands of billions of pixels - are already available to scientists. The real sky is being digitally reconstructed in the databanks! The richness and complexity of data and information available to the astronomers is overwhelming. This has created a major problem as to how astronomers can manage, distribute and analyse this great wealth of data . The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (AVO) will allow astronomers to overcome the challenges and enable them to "put the Universe online". AVO is supported by the European Commission The AVO is a three-year project, funded by the European Commission under its Research and Technological Development (RTD) scheme, to design and implement a virtual observatory for the European astronomical community. The European Commission awarded a contract valued at 4 million Euro for the AVO project , starting 15 November 2001. AVO will provide software tools to enable astronomers to access the multi-wavelength data archives over the Internet and so give them the capability to resolve fundamental questions about the Universe by probing the digital sky. Equivalent searches of the 'real' sky would, in comparison, be both costly and take far too long. Towards a Global Virtual Observatory The need for virtual observatories has also been recognised by other astronomical communities. The National Science Foundation in the USA has awarded 10 million Dollar (approx. 11.4 million Euro) for a National Virtual Observatory (NVO). The AVO project team has formed a close alliance with the NVO and both teams have representatives on their respective committees. It is clear to the NVO and AVO communities that there are no intrinsic boundaries to the virtual observatory concept and that all astronomers should be working towards a truly global virtual observatory that will enable new science to be carried out on the wealth of astronomical data held in the growing number of first class international astronomical archives. The AVO involves six partner organisations led by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Munich (Germany). The other partner organisations are the European Space Agency (ESA) , the United Kingdom's ASTROGRID consortium, the CNRS-supported Centre de Données Astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) at the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg (France), the CNRS-supported TERAPIX astronomical data centre at the Institut d'Astrophysique in Paris and the Jodrell Bank Observatory of the Victoria University of Manchester (UK). Note [1]: This is a joint Press Release issued by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre, ASTROGRID, CDS, TERAPIX/CNRS and the University of Manchester. A 13 minute background video (broadcast PAL) is available from ESO PR and the Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre (addresses below). This will also be transmitted via satellite Wednesday 12 December 2001 from 12:00 to 12:15 CET on "ESA TV Service", cf. http://television.esa.int. An international conference, "Toward an International Virtual Observatory" will take place at ESO (Garching, Germany) on June 10 - 14, 2002. Contacts AVO Contacts Peter Quinn European Southern Observatory Garching, Germany Tel.: +4989-3200-6509 email: pjq@eso.org Piero Benvenuti Space Telescope-European Coordinating Facility Garching, Germany Tel.: +49-89-3200-6290 email: pbenvenu@eso.org Andy Lawrence (on behalf of The ASTROGRID Consortium) Institute for Astronomy University of Edinburgh United Kingdom Tel.: +44-131-668-8346/56 email: al@roe.ac.uk Francoise Genova Centre de Données Astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) France Tel.: +33-390-24-24-76 email: genova@astro.u-strasbg.fr Yannick Mellier CNRS, Delegation Paris A (CNRSDR01-Terapix)/IAP/INSU France Tel.: +33-1-44-32-81-40 email: mellier@iap.fr Phil Diamond University of Manchester/Jodrell Bank Observatory United Kingdom Tel.: +44-147-757-2625 email: pdiamond@jb.man.ac.uk PR Contacts Richard West European Southern Observatory Garching, Germany Tel.: +49-89-3200-6276 email: rwest@eso.org Lars Lindberg Christensen Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre Garching, Germany Tel.: +49-89-3200-6306 or +49-173-38-72-621 email: lars@eso.org Ray Footman The ASTROGRID Consortium/University of Edinburgh United Kingdom Tel.: +44-131-650-2249 email: r.footman@ed.ac.uk Philippe Chauvin Terapix/CDS CNRS, Delegation Paris A, IAP/INSU France Tel.: +33 1 44 96 43 36 email: philippe.chauvin@cnrs-dir.fr Agnes Villanueva University of Strasbourg France Tel.: +33 3 90 24 11 35 email: agnes.villanueva@adm-ulp.u-strasbg.fr Ian Morison University of Manchester/Jodrell Bank Observatory United Kingdom Tel.: +44 1477 572610 email: im@jb.man.ac.uk Appendix: Introduction to Europe's Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (AVO) The Digital Data Revolution Over the past thirty years, astronomers have moved from photographic and analogue techniques towards the use of high-speed, digital instruments connected to specialised telescopes to study the Universe. Whether these instruments are onboard spacecraft or located at terrestrial observatories, the data they produce are stored digitally on computer systems for later analysis. Two Challenges This data revolution has created two challenges for astronomers. Firstly, as the capability of digital detector systems has advanced, the volume of digital data that astronomical facilities are producing has expanded greatly. The rate of growth of the volume of stored data far exceeds the rate of increase in the performance of computer systems or storage devices. Secondly, astronomers have realised that many important insights into the deepest secrets in the Universe can come from combining information obtained at many wavelengths into a consistent and comprehensive physical picture . However, because the datasets from different parts of the spectrum come from different observatories using different instruments, the data are not easily combined. To unite data from different observatories, bridges must be built between digital archives to allow them to share data and "interoperate" - an important and challenging task. The Human Factor These challenges are not only technological. Our brains are not equipped to for instance analyse simultaneously the millions and millions of images available. Astronomers must adapt and learn to deal with such diverse and extensive sets of data. The "digital sky" has the potential to become a vital tool with novel and fascinating capabilities that are essential for astronomers to make progress in their understanding of the Cosmos. But astronomers must be able to find the relevant information quickly and efficiently. Currently the data needed by a particular research program may well be stored in the archives already, but the tools and methods have not yet been developed to extract the relevant information from the flood of images available. A new way of thinking, a new frame of mind and a new approach are needed. The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (AVO) will allow astronomers to overcome the challenges and extract data from the digital sky, thus "putting the Universe online" . Like a search engine helps us to find information on the Internet, astronomers need sophisticated "search engines" as well as other tools to find and interpret the information. "We're drowning in information and starving for knowledge", a Yale University librarian once said. Or to paraphrase a popular series on TV: "The information is out there, but you have to find it!" Using the latest in computer technology, data storage and analysis techniques, AVO will maximise the potential for new scientific insights from the stored data by making them available in a readily accessible and seamlessly unified form to professional researchers, amateur astronomers and students. Users of AVO will have immense multi-wavelength vistas of the digital Universe at their fingertips and the potential to make breathtaking new discoveries. Virtual observatories signal a new era, where data collected by a multitude of sophisticated telescopes can be used globally and repeatedly to achieve substantial progress in the quest for knowledge. The AVO project, funded by the European Commission, is a three-year study of the design and implementation of a virtual observatory for European astronomy. A virtual observatory is a collection of connected data archives and software tools that utilise the Internet to form a scientific research environment in which new multi-wavelength astronomical research programs can be conducted. In much the same way as a real observatory consists of telescopes, each with a collection of unique astronomical instruments, the virtual observatory consists of a collection of data centres each with unique collections of astronomical data, software systems and processing capabilities. The programme will implement and test a prototype virtual observatory , focussing on the key areas of scientific requirements, interoperability and new technologies such as the GRID, needed to link powerful computers to the newly formed large data repositories. The GRID and the Future of the Internet The technical problems astronomers have to solve are similar to those being worked on by particle physicists, by biologists, and by commercial companies who want to search and fill customer databases across the world. The emerging idea is that of the GRID where computers collaborate across the Internet. The World Wide Web made words and pictures available to anybody at the click of a mouse. The GRID will do the same for data, and for computer processing power. Anybody can have the power of a supercomputer sitting on their desktop. The Astrophysical Virtual Observatory, and GRID projects like the ASTROGRID project in the United Kingdom (funding 5 million UK Pounds or 8 million Euro), are closely linked to these developments.

Space Shuttle Project

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-03-18

The Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-67) lands at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California after successfully completing NASA's longest plarned shuttle mission. The seven-member crew conducted round-the-clock observations with the ASTRO-2 observatory, a trio of telescopes designed to study the universe of ultraviolet astronomy. Because of Earth's protective ozone layer ultraviolet light from celestial objects does not reach gound-based telescopes, and such studies can only be conducted from space.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-01-01

This is a computer rendering of the fully developed Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). In 1999, the AXAF was renamed the CXO in honor of the late Indian-American Novel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It is designed to observe x-rays from high energy regions of the Universe, such as hot gas in the renmants of exploded stars. It produces picture-like images of x-ray emissions analogous to those made in visible light, as well as gathers data on the chemical composition of x-ray radiating objects. The CXO helps astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-ray such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. The Observatory has three major parts: (1) the x-ray telescope, whose mirrors will focus x-rays from celestial objects; (2) the science instruments that record the x-rays so that x-ray images can be produced and analyzed; and (3) the spacecraft, which provides the environment necessary for the telescope and the instruments to work. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-01-14

This is an artist's concept of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), fully developed in orbit in a star field with Earth. In 1999, the AXAF was renamed the CXO in honor of the late Indian-American Novel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It is designed to observe x-rays from high energy regions of the Universe, such as hot gas in the renmants of exploded stars. It produces picture-like images of x-ray emissions analogous to those made in visible light, as well as gathers data on the chemical composition of x-ray radiating objects. The CXO helps astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-ray such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. The Observatory has three major parts: (1) the x-ray telescope, whose mirrors will focus x-rays from celestial objects; (2) the science instruments that record the x-rays so that x-ray images can be produced and analyzed; and (3) the spacecraft, which provides the environment necessary for the telescope and the instruments to work. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-01-01

This is a computer rendering of the fully developed Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), in orbit in a star field. In 1999, the AXAF was renamed the CXO in honor of the late Indian-American Novel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It is designed to observe x-rays from high energy regions of the Universe, such as hot gas in the renmants of exploded stars. It produces picture-like images of x-ray emissions analogous to those made in visible light, as well as gathers data on the chemical composition of x-ray radiating objects. The CXO helps astronomers world-wide better understand the structure and evolution of the universe by studying powerful sources of x-rays such as exploding stars, matter falling into black holes, and other exotic celestial objects. The Observatory has three major parts: (1) the x-ray telescope, whose mirrors will focus x-rays from celestial objects; (2) the science instruments that record the x-rays so that x-ray images can be produced and analyzed; and (3) the spacecraft, which provides the environment necessary for the telescope and the instruments to work. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission. (Image courtesy of TRW).

How To Cover NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1999-07-01

NASA's newest space telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, is scheduled for launch not earlier than July 20, 1999, aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-93. The world's most powerful X-ray observatory, Chandra will join the Hubble Space Telescope and NASA's other great observatories in an unprecedented study of our universe. With its capability to "see" an otherwise invisible but violent, vibrant and ever-changing universe, Chandra will provide insights into the universe's structure and evolution. The following information is designed to assist news media representatives cover launch and activation of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Covering from the Chandra Control Center NASA will establish a news center at the Chandra X-ray Observatory Operations Control Center in Cambridge, Mass., during the critical period of launch and early activation. The news center will be open from approximately two days prior to launch until the observatory is established in its operating orbit approximately 11 days after launch. The telephone numbers for the news center are: (617) 496-4454 (617) 496-4462 (617) 496-4484 The news center will be staffed around the clock during the Shuttle mission by media relations officers knowledgeable about the Chandra mission and its status. Media covering from the news center will be provided work space and have opportunities for face-to-face interviews with Chandra management, control team members and Chandra scientists. They will be able to participate in daily Chandra status briefings and have access to a special control room viewing area. Additionally, media covering from Cambridge will receive periodic status reports on Chandra and the STS-93 mission, and will be able to participate in interactive televised briefings on the STS-93 mission originating from other NASA centers. While advance accreditation is not required, media interested in covering Chandra from the Operations Control Center should contact Dave Drachlis by telephone at (256) 544-0031 in advance of the mission to make arrangements for special support, such as telephone service, and uplink or remote truck parking. Covering from the Kennedy Space Center The Kennedy Space Center, Fla., news center is primarily responsible for disseminating information about the Shuttle countdown and launch. However, media relations officers knowledgeable about Chandra will be present at the Kennedy news center through launch. Additionally, some members of the Chandra management and science team will be at the Kennedy Space Center and available for interviews through launch. Media interested in covering the Chandra launch from the Kennedy Space Center should contact its Public Affairs Office at (407) 867-2468. Prior accreditation is required. Covering from the Johnson Space Center The Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, news center has responsibility for disseminating information about STS-93 flight operations. Media interested in covering the mission from the Johnson Space Center should contact its Public Affairs Office at (281) 483-5111. Prior accreditation is required. Status Reports During the STS-93 Space Shuttle mission to launch Chandra, NASA will issue twice-daily status reports from the Chandra Operations Control Center in Cambridge, Mass. Following the Shuttle mission, through Chandra's on-orbit checkout period, reports will be issued weekly. These reports are available via the Internet at: http://chandra.msfc.nasa.gov Press Briefings During the Space Shuttle mission to launch the observatory, NASA will conduct daily press briefings on the status of the observatory. These briefings will be conducted at the Chandra Operations Control Center in Cambridge, Mass. Media briefings will be broadcast on NASA Television (see below). Media without access to NASA Television may monitor the briefings by calling (256) 544-5300 and asking to be connected to the NASA Television audio feed. A briefing schedule will be released before launch and updated as appropriate during the mission. NASA Television The launch and early activation of the Chandra X-ray Observatory will be carried live on NASA Television, available through the GE2 satellite system, which is located on Transponder 9C, at 85 degrees west longitude, frequency 3880.0 MHz, audio 6.8 MHz. Around-the-clock, up-to-the minute commentary, television and daily briefings on Chandra's status will originate from the Chandra Operations Control Center in Cambridge, Mass., during Shuttle Mission STS-93. Internet Information Up-to-date, comprehensive information on the Chandra X-ray Observatory is available to news media on the Internet at: http://chandra.harvard.edu The latest status reports, news releases, photos, fact sheets and background archives, as well as links to other Chandra-related sites, are available at this address. Live Shots - Television Back-hauls Television station news departments may conduct live, or live-to-tape interviews via the NASA satellite with Chandra program managers, scientists and control team members prior to, during, and following the launch of Chandra. For additional information or to arrange interviews, broadcasters may contact Dave Drachlis at (256) 544-0031. Interviews Members of the Chandra development, operations, and science teams are available to the news media for interviews upon request. NASA TV on the web

Workers in the VPF observe the lower end of the IUS to be mated to the Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Workers in the Vertical Processing Facility observe the lower end of the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) that will be mated with the Chandra X-ray Observatory (out of sight above it). After the two components are mated, they will undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and to check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93.

KSC-99pp0617

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-01

The Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster (right) is lifted out of its container after arriving at Kennedy Space Center's Vertical Processing Facility. The IUS will be mated with the Chandra X-ray Observatory (at left) and then undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

Infrared Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grygar, J.

2018-04-01

Although infrared radiation was described by W. Herschel already in 1800, technical problems delayed its use in astronomy for 160 years. After the invention of a sensitive bolometer and semiconducting CCD arrays for very wide infrared window the progress in the field accelerated. Many high-altitude observatories started their work in the last three decades of XXth century and since 1983 space observatories became most important due to the fact that infrared radiation penetrates through opaque cold shells. Moreover, cosmological expansion of the Universe shifts the maximum of spectral energy of distant hot objects from ultraviolet to near infrared region. Infrared astronomy is also essential for improving our knowledge of the cold universe, particularly for studies about the birth of stars, planetary systems and galaxies.

KSC-99pp0708

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-18

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory sits inside the payload canister, ready to be moved to Launch Pad 39B. Liftoff will take place no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe, map the location of dark matter and help to identify it, and probe the faintest of active galaxies, allowing scientists to study not only how their energy output changes with time, but also how these objects produce their intense energy emissions in the first place. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe

KSC-99pp0709

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-18

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility, doors on the payload canister begin to close on the Chandra X-ray Observatory inside before being moved to Launch Pad 39B. Liftoff will take place no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe, map the location of dark matter and help to identify it, and probe the faintest of active galaxies, allowing scientists to study not only how their energy output changes with time, but also how these objects produce their intense energy emissions in the first place. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe

KSC-99pp0771

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-27

In this fish-eye view, a worker oversees the movement of the Chandra X-ray Observatory into the payload bay of the orbiter Columbia. Chandra is the primary payload on mission STS-93, scheduled to launch no earlier than July 20 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. The world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

US Plans for the JEM-EUSO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, James H.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the planned United States work on the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO.) The EUSO is to be mounted to the JEM (Japanese Experiment Module). The plans areas for US participation are the Optics Investigations, Trigger Design and Event Reconstruction.

Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) Prelaunch Mission Operations Report (MOR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The NASA Astrophysics Program is an endeavor to understand the origin and fate of the universe, to understand the birth and evolution of the large variety of objects in the universe, from the most benign to the most violent, and to probe the fundamental laws of physics by examining their behavior under extreme physical conditions. These goals are pursued by means of observations across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and through theoretical interpretation of radiations and fields associated with astrophysical systems. Astrophysics orbital flight programs are structured under one of two operational objectives: (1) the establishment of long duration Great Observatories for viewing the universe in four major wavelength regions of the electromagnetic spectrum (radio/infrared/submillimeter, visible/ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma ray), and (2) obtaining crucial bridging and supporting measurements via missions with directed objectives of intermediate or small scope conducted within the Explorer and Spacelab programs. Under (1) in this context, the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) is one of NASA's four Great Observatories. The other three are the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) for the visible and ultraviolet portion of the spectrum, the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) for the X-ray band, and the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) for infrared wavelengths. GRO's specific mission is to study the sources and astrophysical processes that produce the highest energy electromagnetic radiation from the cosmos. The fundamental physical processes that are known to produce gamma radiation in the universe include nuclear reactions, electron bremsstrahlung, matter-antimatter annihilation, elementary particle production and decay, Compton scattering, synchrotron radiation. GRO will address a variety of questions relevant to understanding the universe, such as: the formation of the elements; the structure and dynamics of the Galaxy; the nature of pulsars; the existence of black holes; the possible existence of large amounts of antimatter, energetic and explosive phenomena occurring in galactic nuclei; the origin of the cosmic diffuse background; particle acceleration in the Sun, stars and stellar systems; processes in supernovae; and the origin and evolution of the universe itself.

Thirty Meter Telescope Detailed Science Case: 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skidmore, Warren; TMT International Science Development Teams; Science Advisory Committee, TMT

2015-12-01

The TMT Detailed Science Case describes the transformational science that the Thirty Meter Telescope will enable. Planned to begin science operations in 2024, TMT will open up opportunities for revolutionary discoveries in essentially every field of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology, seeing much fainter objects much more clearly than existing telescopes. Per this capability, TMT's science agenda fills all of space and time, from nearby comets and asteroids, to exoplanets, to the most distant galaxies, and all the way back to the very first sources of light in the universe. More than 150 astronomers from within the TMT partnership and beyond offered input in compiling the new 2015 Detailed Science Case. The contributing astronomers represent the entire TMT partnership, including the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the University of California, the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy (ACURA) and US associate partner, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). Cover image: artist's rendition of the TMT International Observatory on Mauna Kea opening in the late evening before beginning operations.

High Energy Astrophysics and Cosmology from Space: NASA's Physics of the Cosmos Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornschemeier, Ann

2016-03-01

We summarize currently-funded NASA activities in high energy astrophysics and cosmology, embodied in the NASA Physics of the Cosmos program, including updates on technology development and mission studies. The portfolio includes development of a space mission for measuring gravitational waves from merging supermassive black holes, currently envisioned as a collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) on its L3 mission and development of an X-ray observatory that will measure X-ray emission from the final stages of accretion onto black holes, currently envisioned as a NASA collaboration on ESA's Athena observatory. The portfolio also includes the study of cosmic rays and gamma ray photons resulting from a range of processes, of the physical process of inflation associated with the birth of the universe and of the nature of the dark energy that dominates the mass-energy of the modern universe. The program is supported by an analysis group called the PhysPAG that serves as a forum for community input and analysis and the talk will include a description of activities of this group.

From LPF to eLISA: new approach in payload software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gesa, Ll.; Martin, V.; Conchillo, A.; Ortega, J. A.; Mateos, I.; Torrents, A.; Lopez-Zaragoza, J. P.; Rivas, F.; Lloro, I.; Nofrarias, M.; Sopuerta, CF.

2017-05-01

eLISA will be the first observatory in space to explore the Gravitational Universe. It will gather revolutionary information about the dark universe. This implies a robust and reliable embedded control software and hardware working together. With the lessons learnt with the LISA Pathfinder payload software as baseline, we will introduce in this short article the key concepts and new approaches that our group is working on in terms of software: multiprocessor, self-modifying-code strategies, 100% hardware and software monitoring, embedded scripting, Time and Space Partition among others.

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 Impact Press Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

A Press conference held on July 20, 1994 is presented. Leading off the press conference was an announcement about a major discovery that was made possible from the study of the impact. The participants in the panel were: (1) Roger Yelle from the University of Arizona, (2) Renee Prange of the Institute Astrophysique Spatiale, (3) Lucy McFadden of the University of California, and the University of Maryland, (4) David Levy, the co-discoverer of the Shoemaker-Levy comet. The moderator for this conference was Steven Maran of the Goddard Space Flight Center. Roger Yelle, who had been working on analyzing spectrographic evidence, made the announcement that sulfur in the form of S2 had been discovered. There was also discussion about the interactions of the atmosphere with the fragments. This interaction had caused a shift in the aurora of Jupiter. The observations of the impact sites made by amatuers were discussed. A summary of the observations from different observatories was also given. Included in these observations were reports from the airborne Kuiper Observatory Telescope and the McDonald observatory.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-01

This photograph shows the mirrors of the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), being assembled in the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York. The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission.

Chandra X-Ray Observatory High Resolution Mirror Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This photograph shows the mirrors of the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), being assembled in the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York. The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical 'telescope' portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center was responsible for its project management. The Observatory was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, STS-93 mission.

Astro-1 Image Taken by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

This is a presentation of two comparison images of the Spiral Galaxy M81 in the constellation URA Major. The galaxy is about 12-million light years from Earth. The left image is the Spiral Galaxy M81 as photographed by the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) during the Astro-1 Mission (STS-35) on December 9, 1990. This UIT photograph, made with ultraviolet light, reveals regions where new stars are forming at a rapid rate. The right image is a photograph of the same galaxy in red light made with a 36-inch (0.9-meter) telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. The Astro Observatory was designed to explore the universe by observing and measuring ultraviolet radiation from celestial objects. Three instruments made up the Astro Observatory: The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT), the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT), and the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimetry Experiment (WUPPE). The Marshall Space Flight Center had management responsibilities for the Astro-1 mission. The Astro-1 Observatory was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia (STS-35) on December 2, 1990.

A New NASA Book: Touch the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grice, N. A.

2005-05-01

People who are blind or visually impaired rely partly on their sense of touch to help paint pictures of objects and places in their mind's eye; however, astronomy and space science are, by nature, generally inaccessible to the touch. The universe, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope, was made hands-on in 2002 with the publication of Touch the Universe: A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy. This year, the Sun becomes an accessible object in a new universally designed publication called Touch the Sun. Touch the Sun contains text pages with both print and Braille. It features colorful embossed images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) spacecraft. There is also a close-up picture of a sunspot from the National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak. Textures of swirling gas currents, dark sunspots, curving magnetic fields and explosive eruptions emphasize the dynamic nature of the Sun. The prototype images were tested with students from the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind; the images were revised, based upon their evaluations. Drs. Joe Gurman and Steele Hill from the Goddard Space Flight Center served as scientific consultants. Learn more about this special resource and try out some of the tactile images yourself!

KSC-06pd2391

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - After the mobile service tower has rolled away, the Delta II rocket with the STEREO spacecraft at top stands alone next to the launch gantry. Liftoff is scheduled in a window between 8:38 and 8:53 p.m. on Oct. 25. STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) is a two-year mission using two nearly identical observatories, one ahead of Earth in its orbit and the other trailing behind. The duo will provide 3-D measurements of the sun and its flow of energy, enabling scientists to study the nature of coronal mass ejections and why they happen. The ejections are a major source of the magnetic disruptions on Earth and are a key component of space weather. The disruptions can greatly effect satellite operations, communications, power systems, humans in space and global climate. Designed and built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) , the STEREO mission is being managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. APL will maintain command and control of the observatories throughout the mission, while NASA tracks and receives the data, determines the orbit of the satellites, and coordinates the science results. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

All About EVE: Education and Public Outreach for the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) of the NASA Solar Dynamic Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eparvier, F. G.; McCaffrey, M. S.; Buhr, S. M.

2008-12-01

With the aim of meeting NASA goals for education and public outreach as well as support education reform efforts including the National Science Education Standards, a suite of education materials and strategies have been developed by the Cooperative Institute for Environmental Sciences (CIRES) with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado for the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE), which is an instrument aboard the Solar Dynamic Observatory. This paper will examine the education materials that have been developed for teachers in the classroom and scientists who are conducting outreach, including handouts, a website on space weather for teachers, a slideshow presentation about the overall Solar Dynamic Observatory mission, and a DVD with videos explaining the construction and goals of the EVE instrument, a tour of LASP, and an overview of space science careers. The results and potential transferability of a pilot project developed through this effort that engaged English Second Language learners in a semester-long course on space weather that incorporated the used of a Sudden Ionospheric Disturbance (SID) Monitor will be highlighted.

Optical Telescope System-Level Design Considerations for a Space-Based Gravitational Wave Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livas, Jeffrey C.; Sankar, Shannon R.

2016-01-01

The study of the Universe through gravitational waves will yield a revolutionary new perspective on the Universe, which has been intensely studied using electromagnetic signals in many wavelength bands. A space-based gravitational wave observatory will enable access to a rich array of astrophysical sources in the measurement band from 0.1 to 100 mHz, and nicely complement observations from ground-based detectors as well as pulsar timing arrays by sampling a different range of compact object masses and astrophysical processes. The observatory measures gravitational radiation by precisely monitoring the tiny change in the proper distance between pairs of freely falling proof masses. These masses are separated by millions of kilometers and, using a laser heterodyne interferometric technique, the change in their proper separation is detected to approx. 10 pm over timescales of 1000 seconds, a fractional precision of better than one part in 10(exp 19). Optical telescopes are essential for the implementation of this precision displacement measurement. In this paper we describe some of the key system level design considerations for the telescope subsystem in a mission context. The reference mission for this purpose is taken to be the enhanced Laser Interferometry Space Antenna mission (eLISA), a strong candidate for the European Space Agency's Cosmic Visions L3 launch opportunity in 2034. We will review the flow-down of observatory level requirements to the telescope subsystem, particularly pertaining to the effects of telescope dimensional stability and scattered light suppression, two performance specifications which are somewhat different from the usual requirements for an image forming telescope.

KSC-99pc0163

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Chandra X-ray Observatory is unloaded from an Air Force C-5 Galaxy transporter two days after landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Feb. 4. The observatory sits cradled in the cargo hold of a tractor-trailer rig called the Space Cargo Transportation System, which closely resembles the size and shape of the Shuttle cargo bay. In the background (right) is the mate-demate device, used when an orbiter is returned to KSC on the back of a Shuttle carrier aircraft. Over the next few months, Chandra will undergo final tests and be mated to a Boeing-provided Inertial Upper Stage for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

KSC-99pc0164

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Chandra X-ray Observatory is unloaded from an Air Force C-5 Galaxy transporter two days after landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Feb. 4. The observatory sits cradled in the cargo hold of a tractor-trailer rig called the Space Cargo Transportation System, which closely resembles the size and shape of the Shuttle cargo bay. In the background (left) is the mate-demate device, used when an orbiter is returned to KSC on the back of a Shuttle carrier aircraft. Over the next few months, Chandra will undergo final tests and be mated to a Boeing-provided Inertial Upper Stage for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

"Lomonosov" Satellite—Space Observatory to Study Extreme Phenomena in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadovnichii, V. A.; Panasyuk, M. I.; Amelyushkin, A. M.; Bogomolov, V. V.; Benghin, V. V.; Garipov, G. K.; Kalegaev, V. V.; Klimov, P. A.; Khrenov, B. A.; Petrov, V. L.; Sharakin, S. A.; Shirokov, A. V.; Svertilov, S. I.; Zotov, M. Y.; Yashin, I. V.; Gorbovskoy, E. S.; Lipunov, V. M.; Park, I. H.; Lee, J.; Jeong, S.; Kim, M. B.; Jeong, H. M.; Shprits, Y. Y.; Angelopoulos, V.; Russell, C. T.; Runov, A.; Turner, D.; Strangeway, R. J.; Caron, R.; Biktemerova, S.; Grinyuk, A.; Lavrova, M.; Tkachev, L.; Tkachenko, A.; Martinez, O.; Salazar, H.; Ponce, E.

2017-11-01

The "Lomonosov" space project is lead by Lomonosov Moscow State University in collaboration with the following key partners: Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Russia, University of California, Los Angeles (USA), University of Pueblo (Mexico), Sungkyunkwan University (Republic of Korea) and with Russian space industry organizations to study some of extreme phenomena in space related to astrophysics, astroparticle physics, space physics, and space biology. The primary goals of this experiment are to study: Ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) in the energy range of the Greizen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff; Ultraviolet (UV) transient luminous events in the upper atmosphere; Multi-wavelength study of gamma-ray bursts in visible, UV, gamma, and X-rays; Energetic trapped and precipitated radiation (electrons and protons) at low-Earth orbit (LEO) in connection with global geomagnetic disturbances; Multicomponent radiation doses along the orbit of spacecraft under different geomagnetic conditions and testing of space segments of optical observations of space-debris and other space objects; Instrumental vestibular-sensor conflict of zero-gravity phenomena during space flight. This paper is directed towards the general description of both scientific goals of the project and scientific equipment on board the satellite. The following papers of this issue are devoted to detailed descriptions of scientific instruments.

Detection of Neutral Phosphorus in the Near-ultraviolet Spectra of Late-type Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roederer, Ian U.; Jacobson, Heather R.; Thanathibodee, Thanawuth; Frebel, Anna; Toller, Elizabeth

2014-12-01

We report the detection of several absorption lines of neutral phosphorus (P, Z = 15) in archival near-ultraviolet spectra obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope. We derive phosphorus abundances or interesting upper limits in 14 late-type stars with metallicities spanning -3.8 < [Fe/H] <-0.1. Previously, phosphorus had only been studied in Galactic stars with -1.0 < [Fe/H] <+0.3. Iron lines reveal abundance offsets between the optical and ultraviolet regions, and we discuss and apply a correction factor to account for this offset. In stars with [Fe/H] >-1.0, the [P/Fe] ratio decreases toward the solar value with increasing metallicity, in agreement with previous observational studies. In stars with [Fe/H] <-1.0, lang[P/Fe]rang = +0.04 ± 0.10, which overlaps with the [P/Fe] ratios found in several high-redshift damped Lyman-α systems. This behavior hints at a primary origin in massive stars. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. This work is supported through program AR-13246 and is based on observations associated with programs GO-7348, GO-7433, GO-8197, GO-9048, GO-9049, GO-9455, GO-9804, GO-12268, GO-12554, and GO-12976. Portions of this work are based on data obtained from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Science Archive Facility. These data are associated with Programs 065.L-0507(A), 067.D-0439(A), 072.B-0179(A), 074.C-0364(A), 076.B-0055(A), and 266.D-5655(A). Portions of this research have also made use of the Keck Observatory Archive (KOA), which is operated by the W.M. Keck Observatory and the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI), under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. These data are associated with Programs H2aH (P.I: Boesgaard), H5aH (P.I: Stephens), and H47aH (P.I: Boesgaard). Other portions of this work are based on data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile, and the McDonald Observatory of The University of Texas at Austin.

News and Views: A VISTA of the Orion Nebula; Grote Reber Award; Leverhulme Prize; GNSS workshop; Farming in space; Space messages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-04-01

The recipient of the 2010 Grote Reber Award is Dr Alan Rogers, a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory. Matt King, a Reader in Polar Geodesy in the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at the University of Newcastle, was awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize in 2009.

Obituary: John Louis Africano III, 1951-2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barker, Edwin, S.

2007-12-01

The orbital debris, space surveillance, and astronomical communities lost a valued and beloved friend when John L. Africano passed away on July 27, 2006, at the young age of 55. John passed away in Honolulu, Hawaii, from complications following a heart attack suffered while playing racquetball, which was his avocation in life. Born on February 8, 1951, in Saint Louis, Missouri, John graduated with a B.S. in Physics from the University of Missouri at Saint Louis in 1973, and received a Master's degree in Astronomy from Vanderbilt University in 1974. John had a real love for astronomical observing and for conveying his many years of experience to others. He encouraged many young astronomers and mentored them in the basics of photometry and astronomical instrumentation. John was author or co-author on nearly one-hundred refereed publications ranging from analyses of cool stars to the timing of occultations to space surveillance. He was honored for his contributions to minor planet research when the Jet Propulsion Laboratory named Minor Planet 6391 (Africano) after him. John held operational staff positions at several major observatories including McDonald Observatory in Texas, Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, and the Cloudcroft Telescope Facility in New Mexico. He observed at numerous observatories worldwide, including Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile, developing a world-wide network of friends and colleagues. John's ability to build diverse teams through his managerial and technical skills, not to mention his smiling personality, resulted in numerous successes in the observational astronomy and space surveillance arenas. As an astronomer for Boeing LTS Inc., he worked for many years at the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance site (AMOS) on Maui, Hawaii, where he contributed his operational and instrumental expertise to both the astronomy and space surveillance communities. He was also the co-organizer of the annual AMOS Technical Conference whose attendance expanded dramatically during his tenure. John moved to the NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, in 1998 to work full time on orbital debris projects including the 3.0 meter Liquid Mirror Telescope and the CCD Debris Telescope in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. In 2000 he moved back to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to be closer to his family. From there he continued to support both the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) and AMOS. John was very instrumental in establishing cooperative programs between the ODPO and AMOS, which will benefit both organizations for many years to come. John left an indelible mark on his programs and all those who knew and loved him. The impact of his untimely departure will reverberate for many years. As John's wife Linda put it, "John is now visiting the stars and galaxies he adored from afar." John is survived by his wife, Linda Ann Africano; two sons, James Keith and Brian Michael; a daughter, Monica Lynn Africano; a sister, Diana Smith; and four grandchildren. The author acknowledges valuable input from Brian Africano (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs), Eugene Stansbery (NASA), Mark Mulrooney (NASA contractor), Tom Kelecy (Boeing LTS, Inc.), Paul Sydney (Boeing LTS, Inc.), Kira Abercromby (NASA contractor), and Patrick Seitzer (University of Michigan).

Weak Lensing Calibrated M-T Scaling Relation of Galaxy Groups in the COSMOS Fieldsstarf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kettula, K.; Finoguenov, A.; Massey, R.; Rhodes, J.; Hoekstra, H.; Taylor, J. E.; Spinelli, P. F.; Tanaka, M.; Ilbert, O.; Capak, P.; McCracken, H. J.; Koekemoer, A.

2013-11-01

The scaling between X-ray observables and mass for galaxy clusters and groups is instrumental for cluster-based cosmology and an important probe for the thermodynamics of the intracluster gas. We calibrate a scaling relation between the weak lensing mass and X-ray spectroscopic temperature for 10 galaxy groups in the COSMOS field, combined with 55 higher-mass clusters from the literature. The COSMOS data includes Hubble Space Telescope imaging and redshift measurements of 46 source galaxies per arcminute2, enabling us to perform unique weak lensing measurements of low-mass systems. Our sample extends the mass range of the lensing calibrated M-T relation an order of magnitude lower than any previous study, resulting in a power-law slope of 1.48^{+0.13}_{-0.09}. The slope is consistent with the self-similar model, predictions from simulations, and observations of clusters. However, X-ray observations relying on mass measurements derived under the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium have indicated that masses at group scales are lower than expected. Both simulations and observations suggest that hydrostatic mass measurements can be biased low. Our external weak lensing masses provide the first observational support for hydrostatic mass bias at group level, showing an increasing bias with decreasing temperature and reaching a level of 30%-50% at 1 keV. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. Also based on data collected at the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; the XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA; the European Southern Observatory under Large Program 175.A-0839, Chile; Kitt Peak National Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which are operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation; the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.; and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) with MegaPrime/MegaCam operated as a joint project by the CFHT Corporation, CEA/DAPNIA, the National Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique de France, TERAPIX, and the University of Hawaii.

S-COSMOS: The Spitzer Legacy Survey of the Hubble Space Telescope ACS 2 deg2 COSMOS Field I: Survey Strategy and First Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanders, D. B.; Salvato, M.; Aussel, H.; Ilbert, O.; Scoville, N.; Surace, J. A.; Frayer, D. T.; Sheth, K.; Helou, G.; Brooke, T.; Bhattacharya, B.; Yan, L.; Kartaltepe, J. S.; Barnes, J. E.; Blain, A. W.; Calzetti, D.; Capak, P.; Carilli, C.; Carollo, C. M.; Comastri, A.; Daddi, E.; Ellis, R. S.; Elvis, M.; Fall, S. M.; Franceschini, A.; Giavalisco, M.; Hasinger, G.; Impey, C.; Koekemoer, A.; Le Fèvre, O.; Lilly, S.; Liu, M. C.; McCracken, H. J.; Mobasher, B.; Renzini, A.; Rich, M.; Schinnerer, E.; Shopbell, P. L.; Taniguchi, Y.; Thompson, D. J.; Urry, C. M.; Williams, J. P.

2007-09-01

The COSMOS Spitzer survey (S-COSMOS) is a Legacy program (Cycles 2+3) designed to carry out a uniform deep survey of the full 2 deg2 COSMOS field in all seven Spitzer bands (3.6, 4.5, 5.6, 8.0, 24.0, 70.0, and 160.0 μm). This paper describes the survey parameters, mapping strategy, data reduction procedures, achieved sensitivities to date, and the complete data set for future reference. We show that the observed infrared backgrounds in the S-COSMOS field are within 10% of the predicted background levels. The fluctuations in the background at 24 μm have been measured and do not show any significant contribution from cirrus, as expected. In addition, we report on the number of asteroid detections in the low Galactic latitude COSMOS field. We use the Cycle 2 S-COSMOS data to determine preliminary number counts, and compare our results with those from previous Spitzer Legacy surveys (e.g., SWIRE, GOODS). The results from this ``first analysis'' confirm that the S-COSMOS survey will have sufficient sensitivity with IRAC to detect ~L* disks and spheroids out to z>~3, and with MIPS to detect ultraluminous starbursts and AGNs out to z~3 at 24 μm and out to z~1.5-2 at 70 and 160 μm. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555 also based on data collected at the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; the XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA; the European Southern Observatory under Large Program 175.A-0839, Chile; Kitt Peak National Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which are operated by AURA under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation; the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, which is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.; and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) with MegaPrime/MegaCam operated as a joint project by the CFHT Corporation, CEA/DAPNIA, the National Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique de France, TERAPIX, and the University of Hawaii.

Report from JEM-EUSO in the US

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Jim

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the current status of interest in NASA for the Japanese Experiment Module-Extreme Universe Space Observatory (JEM-EUSO). It reviews the decadal survey performed by the National Research Council (NRC), the Technology Innovation Program, and plans for proposals to fund the experiment,

Remote Sensing and Imaging Physics

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-05

sites • Planned IOC: 2013-2014 FTN Observatory Configuration • U.S • Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, CO) • Fort Lewis College ( Durango ...for orbit and uncertainty propagation Dan Sheeres (U Colorado ) – Correlation of and change detection in space objects using non-Gaussian PDFs for

WIYN Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

Located at Kitt Peak in Arizona. The WIYN Observatory is owned and operated by the WIYN Consortium, which consists of the University of Wisconsin, Indiana University, Yale University and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO). Most of the capital costs of the observatory were provided by these universities, while NOAO, which operates the other telescopes of the KITT PEAK NATIONAL OBS...

Chandra's Cosmos: Dark Matter, Black Holes, and Other Wonders Revealed by NASA's Premier X-ray Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, Wallace H.

2017-03-01

On July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the most powerful X-ray telescope ever built, was launched aboard the space shuttle Columbia. Since then, Chandra has given us a view of the universe that is largely hidden from telescopes sensitive only to visible light. In Chandra's Cosmos, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra science spokesperson Wallace H. Tucker uses a series of short, connected stories to describe the telescope's exploration of the hot, high-energy face of the universe. The book is organized in three parts: "The Big," covering the cosmic web, dark energy, dark matter, and massive clusters of galaxies; "The Bad," exploring neutron stars, stellar black holes, and supermassive black holes; and "The Beautiful," discussing stars, exoplanets, and life. Chandra has imaged the spectacular, glowing remains of exploded stars and taken spectra showing the dispersal of their elements. Chandra has observed the region around the supermassive black hole in the center of our Milky Way and traced the separation of dark matter from normal matter in the collision of galaxies, contributing to both dark matter and dark energy studies. Tucker explores the implications of these observations in an entertaining, informative narrative aimed at space buffs and general readers alike.

High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)

NASA Image and Video Library

1982-01-01

This artist's conception depicts the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-1 in orbit. The first observatory, designated HEAO-1, was launched on August 12, 1977 aboard an Atlas/Centaur launch vehicle and was designed to survey the sky for additional x-ray and gamma-ray sources as well as pinpointing their positions. The HEAO-1 was originally identified as HEAO-A but the designation was changed once the spacecraft achieved orbit. The HEAO project involved the launching of three unmarned scientific observatories into low Earth orbit between 1977 and 1979 to study some of the most intriguing mysteries of the universe; pulsars, black holes, neutron stars, and super nova. Hardware support for the imaging instruments was provided by American Science and Engineeing. The HEAO spacecraft were built by TRW, Inc. under project management of the Marshall Space Flight Center.

NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy 747SP shows off its new blue-and-white livery at L-3 Communications' Integrated Systems in Waco, Texas

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-25

NASA's freshly painted Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) 747SP is shown at L-3 Communications Integrated Systems' facility in Waco, Texas, where major modifications and installation was performed. The observatory, which features a German-built 100-inch (2.5 meter) diameter infrared telescope weighing 20 tons, is approaching the flight test phase as part of a joint program by NASA and DLR Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Center). SOFIA's science and mission operations are being planned jointly by Universities Space Research Association (USRA) and the Deutsches SOFIA Institut (DSI). Once operational, SOFIA will be the world's primary infrared observatory during a mission lasting up to 20 years, as well as an outstanding laboratory for developing and testing instrumentation and detector technology.

NASA's newly painted Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy 747SP is pushed back from L-3 Communications' Integrated Systems hangar in Waco, Texas

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-25

NASA's freshly painted Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) 747SP aircraft sits outside a hangar at L-3 Communications Integrated Systems' facility in Waco, Texas. The observatory, which features a German-built 100-inch (2.5 meter) diameter infrared telescope weighing 20 tons, is approaching the flight test phase as part of a joint program by NASA and DLR Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Center). SOFIA's science and mission operations are being planned jointly by Universities Space Research Association (USRA) and the Deutsches SOFIA Institut (DSI). Once operational, SOFIA will be the world's primary infrared observatory during a mission lasting up to 20 years, as well as an outstanding laboratory for developing and testing instrumentation and detector technology.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-12-05

The mission insignia for NASA's STS-31 mission features the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in its observing configuration against a background of the universe it will study. The cosmos includes a stylistic depiction of galaxies in recognition of the contribution made by Sir Edwin Hubble to our understanding of the nature of galaxies and the expansion of the universe. The STS-31 crew points out that is it in honor of Hubble's work that this great observatory in space bears his name. The depicted Space Shuttle trails a spectrum symbolic of both the red shift observations that were so important to Hubble's work and new information which will be obtained with the HST. Encircling the art work, designed by the crew, are the names of its members.

Molecules as Drives and Witnesses of Star Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shustov, B. M.

2017-07-01

The progress in understanding the role of molecules in star formation is discussed. After very brief introduction which we note in that no star formation would be possible without molecules at the dawn of the Universe and that molecules are important drivers and witnesses of star formation in the current epoch, we consider observational technologies and emphasize the prospective role of UV observations. Special attention is paid to possibilities of UV spectroscopy with coming space observatory Spektr-UF (World Space Observatory - Ultraviolet; WSO-UV). Only one example (observations of CO-dark clouds) from vast scientific program of the WSO-UV is mentioned. Also very briefly disclosed is a model approach to study complex evolution of very young (prestellar) object focusing on chemical (molecular) evolution.

KSC-99pp0623

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-01

In the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is lowered onto the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) beneath it. After the two components are mated, they will undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and to check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0975

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-07-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Mrs. Lalitha Chandrasekhar (left), wife of the late Indian-American Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, poses with a model of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the winners of the contest to rename the telescope in the TRW Media Hospitality Tent at the NASA Press Site at KSC. The winners of the contest are Jatila van der Veen (center), academic coordinator and lecturer, Physics Dept., University of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Tyrel Johnson (right), high school student, Laclede, Idaho. The name "Chandra," a shortened version of Chandrasekhar's name which he preferred among friends and colleagues, was chosen to honor the Nobel Laureate. "Chandra" also means "Moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit. The observatory is scheduled to be launched aboard Columbia on Space Shuttle mission STS-93

a New IAA Cosmic Study: Establishing a Radio Observatory on the Moon Farside

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidmann, J.

2002-01-01

In 1998, the IAA decided to develop a new Cosmic Study following a suggestion by its President, M. Yarymovych, based on work I initiated in 1993. This project is jointly fully supported by G. Haerendel, Vice-President of the IAA and President of the COSPAR. After the Symposium " Protection of Part of a Celestial Body for the Scientific Benefit of Humankind: the Lunar Farside Crater SAHA Proposal", which I organized at the COSPAR 1998 Scientific Assembly, the IAA Space Science Committee endorsed also this study. I assembled a Committee including D. McNally, University of London Observatory, for Radio Protection, B. Reijnen, International Institute of Space Law, for Space Law, G. Genta, Politecnico di Torino, for Astronautics, J.-F. Lestrade, Paris-Meudon Observatory, for Radioastronomy, and C. Maccone, IAA SETI and Interstellar Space Exploration Committees, for Mission Management. We encourage contributions from workers in a wide range of interdisciplinary domains: space lawyers, space engineers, astronomers, policy-makers, economists, educationists, media analysts. I started to invite potential contributors from various sources such as programmes of recent conferences of IAF, IAA, IISL, COSPAR, IAU, NASA, ESA and other space agencies, together with news from journals such as Science, Nature, Space News. The basic philosophy is not to refrain from giving access to persons of different opinions, so that a balance can be presented, aiming at some synthetizing consensus. I shall be the Editor, submitting each paper to two referees and taking advice from the Committee in controversial cases.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-04-15

This photograph captures the installation of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), Advanced Charged-Coupled Device (CCD) Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) into the Vacuum Chamber at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The ACIS is one of two focal plane instruments. As the name suggests, this instrument is an array of CCDs similar to those used in a camcorder. This instrument will be especially useful because it can make x-ray images and measure the energies of incoming x-rays. It is the instrument of choice for studying the temperature variation across x-ray sources, such as vast clouds of hot-gas intergalactic space. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

EUSO-SPB2: Second Generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a SuperPressure Balloon, Colorado School of Mines Co-I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiencke, Lawrence

This is a Co-Investigator Proposal for EUSO-SPB2, second generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super-Pressure Balloon. The PI is Angela V. Olinto (University of Chicago) Co-Is at Marshall Space Flight Center (Institution PI, M. Christl), Colorado School of Mines (Institution PI, L.Wiencke), University of Alabama Huntsville (Institution PI, P. Reardon), and Lehman College, CUNY (Institution PI, L. Anchordoqui). We propose to design, build, deploy, and publish the scientific results of a second generation of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO), to be flown aboard a Super-Pressure Balloon (SBP). EUSO-SPB2 will monitor the night sky of the Southern hemisphere to study cosmic rays of very high to ultrahigh energies and pioneer the search for cosmogenic tau neutrinos from space. EUSO-SPB2 will be the first instrument to observe Cherenkov light from extensive airshowers high in the atmosphere. EUSO-SPB2 will observe a large sample of cosmic rays from 0.1 to 1 EeV with the Cherenkov technique and will discriminate among the Cherenkov profiles of primary protons, heavy nuclei, and photons. It will also characterize the background for upward going showers initiated by the decay of tau leptons, which are expected to be produced by Earth-skimming tau neutrinos. A coincidence veto will be developed for EUSO-SPB2 so it can characterize the background for Cherenkov signals from the neutrino produced tau leptons. EUSO-SPB2 will also use fluorescence observations to measure, for the first time, the evolution of nearly horizontal high altitude extensive air showers, which develop at the nearly constant low-density atmosphere. Such measurements will provide a unique channel to probe hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energies, and may elucidate the reason why ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) showers observed by ground-based detectors contain more muons than expected from hadronic interaction models. EUSO-SPB2 is a pathfinder for the more ambitious space-based measurements by the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA), currently proposed for a NASA design study. POEMMA will combine the well-developed Orbiting Wide-field Light-collectors (OWL) concept with the recently proposed CHerenkov from Astrophysical Neutrinos Telescope (CHANT) concept to form a multi-messenger probe of the most extreme environments in the universe. EUSO-SPB2 will inform the best strategy for future space missions such as POEMMA. EUSO-SPB2 will build upon the experience of flying EUSO-SPB1 in the Spring of 2017. A number of upgrades will render EUSO-SPB2 more powerful, including a Schmidt design telescope and a faster ultraviolet (UV) camera to increase exposure. The new instrument will detect Cherenkov and fluorescence signal from highly inclined UHECR events. Horizontal observations will lead to much larger acceptance with a distancedependent energy threshold. Depending on EUSO-SPB1 results, EUSO-SPB2 may also point closer to nadir in fluorescence. Narir (EUSO-SPB) and tilted (EUSO-SPB2) observations will explore the power of space observatories to observe UHECR of extreme energies. A long enough flight of EUSO-SPB2 observations will match and complement ground observations. EUSO-SPB2 addresses the fourth science goal of the 2011 NASA Strategic Plan, to ``Discover how the universe works, explore how it began and evolved'' and one of the ``Physics of the Cosmos'' questions in NASA's 2010 Science Plan: ``How do matter, energy, space, and time behave under the extraordinarily diverse conditions of the cosmos?'' EUSO-SPB2 directly addresses the sixth question in the ``Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos'' report in its list of ``Eleven Science Questions for the Ne What are They Accelerating?''w Century,'' which is ``How do Cosmic Accelerators Work and What are they Accelerating?''

EUSO-SPB2: Second Generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a SuperPressure Balloon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olinto, Angela

This is the lead Institution Co-Investigator Proposal for EUSO-SPB2, second generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super-Pressure Balloon. It is led by PI Angela V. Olinto at the University of Chicago with Co-Is at Marshall Space Flight Center (Institution PI, Mark Christl), Colorado School of Mines (Institution PI, Lawrence Wiencke), University of Alabama Huntsville (Institution PI, Patrick Reardon), and Lehman College, CUNY (Institution PI, Luis Anchordoqui). We propose to design, build, deploy, and publish the scientific results of a second generation of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO), to be flown aboard a Super-Pressure Balloon (SBP). EUSO-SPB2 will monitor the night sky of the Southern hemisphere to study cosmic rays of very high to ultrahigh energies and pioneer the search for cosmogenic tau neutrinos from space. EUSO-SPB2 will be the first instrument to observe Cherenkov light from extensive airshowers high in the atmosphere. EUSO-SPB2 will observe a large sample of cosmic rays from 0.1 to 1 EeV with the Cherenkov technique and will discriminate among the Cherenkov profiles of primary protons, heavy nuclei, and photons. It will also characterize the background for upward going showers initiated by the decay of tau leptons, which are expected to be produced by Earth-skimming tau neutrinos. A coincidence veto will be developed for EUSO-SPB2 so it can characterize the background for Cherenkov signals from the neutrino produced tau leptons. EUSO-SPB2 will also use fluorescence observations to measure, for the first time, the evolution of nearly horizontal high altitude extensive air showers, which develop at the nearly constant low-density atmosphere. Such measurements will provide a unique channel to probe hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energies, and may elucidate the reason why ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) showers observed by ground-based detectors contain more muons than expected from hadronic interaction models. EUSO-SPB2 is a pathfinder for the more ambitious space-based measurements by the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA), currently proposed for a NASA design study. POEMMA will combine the well-developed Orbiting Wide-field Light-collectors (OWL) concept with the recently proposed CHerenkov from Astrophysical Neutrinos Telescope (CHANT) concept to form a multi-messenger probe of the most extreme environments in the universe. EUSO-SPB2 will inform the best strategy for future space missions such as POEMMA. EUSO-SPB2 will build upon the experience of flying EUSO-SPB1 in the Spring of 2017. A number of upgrades will render EUSO-SPB2 more powerful, including a Schmidt design telescope and a faster ultraviolet (UV) camera to increase exposure. The new instrument will detect Cherenkov and fluorescence signal from highly inclined UHECR events. Horizontal observations will lead to much larger acceptance with a distancedependent energy threshold. Depending on EUSO-SPB1 results, EUSO-SPB2 may also point closer to nadir in fluorescence. The combination of nadir (EUSO-SPB) and tilted (EUSO-SPB2) observations will explore the power of space observatories to observe UHECR of extreme energies. A long enough flight of EUSO-SPB2 observations will match and complement ground observations. EUSO-SPB2 addresses the fourth science goal of the 2011 NASA Strategic Plan, to “Discover how the universe works, explore how it began and evolved” and one of the “Physics of the Cosmos” questions in NASA’s 2010 Science Plan : “How do matter, energy, space, and time behave under the extraordinarily diverse conditions of the cosmos?” EUSO-SPB2 directly addresses the sixth question in the “Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos” report in its list of “Eleven Science Questions for the New Century,” which is “How do Cosmic Accelerators Work and What are They Accelerating?”

Alexander A Friedmann

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tropp, Eduard A.; Frenkel, Viktor Ya.; Chernin, Artur D.; Dron, Alexander; Burov, Michael

2006-05-01

Preface; 1. The Friedmanns and the Vojaceks; 2. At the 2nd St Petersburg Gymnasium; 3. University years, 1906-14; 4. In search of a way; 5. War years; 6. Moscow - Perm - Petrograd; 7. Theoretical department of the Main Geophysical Observatory; 8. Space and time; 9. Geometry and dynamics of the Universe; 10. Petrograd, 1920-4; 11. The final year; 12. Friedmann's world; Conclusion; Main dates in Friedmann's life and work; Bibliography; Name Index.

NASA Telescopes Help Discover Surprisingly Young Galaxy

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA image release April 12, 2011 Astronomers have uncovered one of the youngest galaxies in the distant universe, with stars that formed 13.5 billion years ago, a mere 200 million years after the Big Bang. The finding addresses questions about when the first galaxies arose, and how the early universe evolved. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope was the first to spot the newfound galaxy. Detailed observations from the W.M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii revealed the observed light dates to when the universe was only 950 million years old; the universe formed about 13.7 billion years ago. Infrared data from both Hubble and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope revealed the galaxy's stars are quite mature, having formed when the universe was just a toddler at 200 million years old. The galaxy's image is being magnified by the gravity of a massive cluster of galaxies (Abell 383) parked in front of it, making it appear 11 times brighter. This phenomenon is called gravitational lensing. Hubble imaged the lensing galaxy Abell 383 with the Wide Field Camera 3 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys in November 2010 through March 2011. Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Richard (Center for Astronomical Research/Observatory of Lyon, France), and J.-P. Kneib (Astrophysical Laboratory of Marseille, France) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Join us on Facebook

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-05-01

This photograph shows the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) being removed from the test structure in the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-12-16

This is a photograph of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) integration at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-12-16

This is a photograph of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) integration at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSCF was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-05-01

This photograph shows the Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) being removed from the test structure in the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRMA, the heart of the telescope system, is contained in the cylindrical "telescope" portion of the observatory. Since high-energy x-rays would penetrate a normal mirror, special cylindrical mirrors were created. The two sets of four nested mirrors resemble tubes within tubes. Incoming x-rays graze off the highly polished mirror surface and are furneled to the instrument section for detection and study. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

21st Century Lightning Protection for High Altitude Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kithil, Richard

2013-05-01

One of the first recorded lightning insults to an observatory was in January 1890 at the Ben Nevis Observatory in Scotland. In more recent times lightning has caused equipment losses and data destruction at the US Air Force Maui Space Surveillance Complex, the Cerro Tololo observatory and the nearby La Serena scientific and technical office, the VLLA, and the Apache Point Observatory. In August 1997 NOAA's Climate Monitoring and Diagnostic Laboratory at Mauna Loa Observatory was out of commission for a month due to lightning outages to data acquisition computers and connected cabling. The University of Arizona has reported "lightning strikes have taken a heavy toll at all Steward Observatory sites." At Kitt Peak, extensive power down protocols are in place where lightning protection for personnel, electrical systems, associated electronics and data are critical. Designstage lightning protection defenses are to be incorporated at NSO's ATST Hawaii facility. For high altitude observatories lightning protection no longer is as simple as Franklin's 1752 invention of a rod in the air, one in the ground and a connecting conductor. This paper discusses selection of engineered lightning protection subsystems in a carefully planned methodology which is specific to each site.

Toby Owen, a visionary and charismatic scientist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Encrenaz, Therese

2017-10-01

Toby’s relationship with Paris Observatory goes back to the early beginning of the 1970s. While he was a professor at Sony Brook University (NY), he played a very active role in the development of the young planetology group at the Observatory. With Daniel Gautier, Catherine de Bergh, Michel Combes and Thérèse Encrenaz, he initiated many research projects around the composition and structure of planetary atmospheres, using space exploration and ground-based observations. With Jean-Pierre Maillard and the French planetology group, he made a series of major discoveries, in particular about the deuterium abundance in the solar system. In a visionary and multidisciplinary approach, he developed numerous research projects on all families of solar system objects, planets, satellites and comets, using all wavelength spectral ranges, from ground and space. In the early 1980s, with Daniel Gautier and Wing Ip, Toby became deeply involved in the development of the Cassini-Huygens space mission, jointly led by the United States and Europe, devoted to the exploration of Saturn and Titan. Beyond its exceptional scientific return, this mission has been an exemplary success in terms of international cooperation between different space agencies. Toby was strongly in favor of bringing together scientific communities beyond national frontiers. With his French friends and colleagues, at Paris Observatory and beyond, Toby has developed very strong links of scientific cooperation and friendship. In the early 2000s, he joined the High Scientific Council of Paris Observatory. In 2006, with Daniel Gautier and Jean-Pierre Lebreton, he received the Grand Prix Marcel Dassault of the French Academy of Sciences. In 2007, he became Doctor Honoris Causa of Paris Observatory. He is deeply missed by his friends and colleagues, who all remember his generosity, his availability, his kindness, his simplicity and modesty.

SpaceX CRS-14 What's On Board Science Briefing

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-01

Torsten Neubert of the National Space Institute at the Technical University of Denmark, and principal investigator for the Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor, discusses how this Earth observatory will study severe thunderstorms and their role in the Earth's atmosphere and climate. This is one of the scientific investigations that will be aboard a Dragon spacecraft scheduled for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 40 at 4:30 p.m. EST, on April 2, 2018. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the company's 14th Commercial Resupply Services mission to the space station.

Astornomy at Unisa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smits, D. P.

2007-07-01

In 1873, the University of the Cape of Good Hope, an examining body with the power to grant degrees, was established in Cape Town. In Act 12 of 1916, it was transformed into a new federal university, effective from 02 April 1918. The name of the institution was changed to the University of South Africa (Unisa) and its headquarters was moved to Pretoria. In response to pressure from unattached students from all races to obtain qualifications without attendance at a university or college, in 1947 Unisa started teaching some subjects internally. With over 200 000 students registered in distance degree programmes in 2005, Unisa is the largest tertiary education institution on the African continent. Examinations are arranged at centres conveniently located throughout the world. Astronomy has been offered at Unisa since 1923. In 1960 Mr J Wolterbeek was appointed as the first full-time lecturer in Astronomy, and in 1972 the 9-inch Reunert Telescope, donated to Unisa by the Republic Observatory, was installed in a roof-top observatory on the new Theo van Wyk building on Mucklneuk Ridge. A new observatory, containing a 14-inch computer-controlled Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector, was inaugurated in 1992. Unisa currently offers a BSc major in Astronomy, post-graduate tuition up to the PhD level and is part of the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme (NASSP) consortium.

Geomagnetic Observatory Data for Real-Time Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Love, J. J.; Finn, C. A.; Rigler, E. J.; Kelbert, A.; Bedrosian, P.

2015-12-01

The global network of magnetic observatories represents a unique collective asset for the scientific community. Historically, magnetic observatories have supported global magnetic-field mapping projects and fundamental research of the Earth's interior and surrounding space environment. More recently, real-time data streams from magnetic observatories have become an important contributor to multi-sensor, operational monitoring of evolving space weather conditions, especially during magnetic storms. In this context, the U.S. Geological Survey (1) provides real-time observatory data to allied space weather monitoring projects, including those of NOAA, the U.S. Air Force, NASA, several international agencies, and private industry, (2) collaborates with Schlumberger to provide real-time geomagnetic data needed for directional drilling for oil and gas in Alaska, (3) develops products for real-time evaluation of hazards for the electric-power grid industry that are associated with the storm-time induction of geoelectric fields in the Earth's conducting lithosphere. In order to implement strategic priorities established by the USGS Natural Hazards Mission Area and the National Science and Technology Council, and with a focus on developing new real-time products, the USGS is (1) leveraging data management protocols already developed by the USGS Earthquake Program, (2) developing algorithms for mapping geomagnetic activity, a collaboration with NASA and NOAA, (3) supporting magnetotelluric surveys and developing Earth conductivity models, a collaboration with Oregon State University and the NSF's EarthScope Program, (4) studying the use of geomagnetic activity maps and Earth conductivity models for real-time estimation of geoelectric fields, (5) initiating geoelectric monitoring at several observatories, (6) validating real-time estimation algorithms against historical geomagnetic and geoelectric data. The success of these long-term projects is subject to funding constraints and will require coordination with partners in government, academia, and private industry.

KSC-99pp0714

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-21

STS-93 Commander Eileen M. Collins talks to the media after arriving at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility to participate in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Tests (TCDT) this week. TCDT activities familiarize the crew with the mission, provide training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. Joining Collins are Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe

KSC-99pp0712

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-21

STS-93 Michel Tognini of France arrives at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility to participate in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Tests (TCDT) this week. TCDT activities familiarize the crew with the mission, provide training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Joining Tognini are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.). Tognini represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe

Origin of the Universe: From the First Stars to Planets with JWST

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clampin, Mark

2008-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a large aperture (6.5 meter), cryogenic space telescope with a suite of near and mid-infrared instruments. JWST's primary science goal is to detect and characterize the first galaxies. It will also study the assembly of galaxies, star formation, protoplanetary systems, and the formation of evolution of planetary systems. We will review the motivations for JWST's science goals in the context of recent Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer Space Telescope observations and review the status of the JWST Observatory.

The Massive Progenitor of the Type II-linear Supernova 2009kr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elias-Rosa, Nancy; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Li, Weidong; Miller, Adam A.; Silverman, Jeffrey M.; Ganeshalingam, Mohan; Boden, Andrew F.; Kasliwal, Mansi M.; Vinkó, József; Cuillandre, Jean-Charles; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Steele, Thea N.; Bloom, Joshua S.; Griffith, Christopher V.; Kleiser, Io K. W.; Foley, Ryan J.

2010-05-01

We present early-time photometric and spectroscopic observations of supernova (SN) 2009kr in NGC 1832. We find that its properties to date support its classification as Type II-linear (SN II-L), a relatively rare subclass of core-collapse supernovae (SNe). We have also identified a candidate for the SN progenitor star through comparison of pre-explosion, archival images taken with WFPC2 on board the Hubble Space Telescope with SN images obtained using adaptive optics plus NIRC2 on the 10 m Keck-II telescope. Although the host galaxy's substantial distance (~26 Mpc) results in large uncertainties in the relative astrometry, we find that if this candidate is indeed the progenitor, it is a highly luminous (M 0 V = -7.8 mag) yellow supergiant with initial mass ~18-24 M sun. This would be the first time that an SN II-L progenitor has been directly identified. Its mass may be a bridge between the upper initial mass limit for the more common Type II-plateau SNe and the inferred initial mass estimate for one Type II-narrow SN. Based in part on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope (HST), obtained from the Data Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under NASA contract NAS 05-26555; the 6.5 m Magellan Clay Telescope located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile; various telescopes at Lick Observatory; the 1.3 m PAIRITEL on Mt. Hopkins; the SMARTS Consortium 1.3 m telescope located at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), Chile; the 3.6 m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), which is operated by the National Research Council of Canada, the Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique of France, and the University of Hawaii; and the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and NASA, with generous financial support from the W. M. Keck Foundation.

Teacher Professional Development in Laredo, TX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finkelstein, Keely D.; Macri, L. M.; Hemenway, M.; Wetzel, M.; Preston, S.; Rood, M.

2014-01-01

In the fall of 2012, McDonald Observatory, Texas A&M University, and Texas A&M International University conducted a series of workshops on astronomy content for 5th - 8th grade teachers in Laredo, Texas. Three one-day workshops were held at the Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium of Texas A&M International University, using a mix of in-person and distance learning technology. Texas A&M professor Lucas Macri gave public talks in English and Spanish, and a lunch-time presentation to the teachers. A series of evaluation tools were used to assess the success of the workshops. A Nominal Group Technique (NGT) discussion was used, through which groups developed consensus answers about their learning, expectations for classroom use, and satisfaction with the workshop. The Astronomy/Space Science Test (MOSART Grades 5-8) was also issued as a pre- and post-test to assess gains in knowledge. Teacher consensus was that the materials and activities of the workshop had been helpful for learning and that they expected to use many of them in their classrooms. However, the evaluation also showed that teachers would have preferred the Observatory educator be physically present for all workshops. Past video-conferencing workshops, where local facilitators first participated in workshops at the Observatory, showed better feedback and results concerning this point. Comparing those results to the present case, we conclude that more clearly defined roles and better training for the science specialists and local facilitators would improve the video conference experience for the teachers. Comparison of pre- and post-test results showed improved teacher knowledge. An additional benefit of this project was the further development of partnerships between McDonald Observatory and Texas A&M International University, which has resulted in further education projects, including a video-conference presentation series to eight-grade students and their families. This secondary project focused on motivating and increasing underserved students from the Laredo area in STEM fields, and featured lectures from University of Texas / McDonald Observatory astronomers.

An Alliance of Professionals and Amateurs for the Development of Earth and Space Science Education and Public Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geller, H. A.; Olin, C.

2002-05-01

To enhance planetary and space science education within Fairfax County, Virginia, George Mason University (GMU) Department of Physics and Astronomy is teamed with the Analemma Society, to implement an astronomy-based education and outreach program in conjunction with K-12 educators of Fairfax County and its standards-based curriculum. A subset of astronomers in the Department of Physics and Astronomy has been assembled to work with members of the Analemma Society and K-12 educators in this effort. The tools to be developed and utilized will be housed within an existing observatory at Turner Farm Park in Great Falls, Virginia. The observatory is being refurbished by the Analemma Society in association with the Fairfax County Parks Authority. Support buildings are also being planned. The land that the observatory is on was originally federal government land used by the military in the Cold War Era. Remote operations of the telescope, via an internet link, will allow for a wide distribution of the images obtained by the observatory telescope. Other unique characteristics of the Observatory Park will be a sundial garden that will include other ancient astronomy instruments. Observatory Park will serve as a focal point for astronomical and space science related activities. Observing time at the telescope will be jointly managed by GMU, the Analemma Society and participating amateur astronomers. Important opportunities suitable for nonprofessional studies of the Sun, Moon and stars will be encouraged. We will take advantage of peer-peer contacts within the school system, and broker information to the widest possible public audience. Once seed funding is secured, we will enlist other professional astronomers and local amateur astronomy organizations. To further leverage our experiences, we plan to present papers to professional societies describing how we pulled our team together for the purpose of generating interest in Earth and space sciences.

NASA Awards Chandra X-Ray Observatory Follow-On Contract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-08-01

NASA has awarded a contract to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., to provide science and operational support for the Chandra X-ray Observatory, one of the world's most powerful tools to better understand the structure and evolution of the universe. The contract will have a period of performance from August 31, 2003, through July 31, 2010, with an estimated value of 373 million. It is a follow-on contract to the existing contract with Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory that has provided science and operations support to the Observatory since its launch in July 1999. At launch the intended mission life was five years. As a result of Chandra's success, NASA extended the mission from five to 10 years. The value of the original contract was 289 million. The follow-on contract with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory will continue through the 10-year mission. The contract type is cost reimbursement with no fee. The contract covers mission operations and data analysis, which includes the observatory operations, science data processing and the general and guaranteed time observer (astronomer) support. The observatory operations tasks include monitoring the health and status of the observatory and developing and up linking the observation sequences during Chandra's communication coverage periods. The science data processing tasks include the competitive selection, planning, and coordination of science observations with the general observers and processing and delivery of the resulting scientific data. There are approximately 200 to 250 observing proposals selected annually out of about 800 submitted, with a total amount of observing time of about 20 million seconds. Chandra has exceeded expectations of scientists, giving them unique insight into phenomena light years away, such as exotic celestial objects, matter falling into black holes, and stellar explosions. X-ray astronomy can only be performed from space because Earth's atmosphere blocks X-rays from reaching the surface. The Chandra Observatory travels one-third of the way to the moon during its orbit around the Earth every 64 hours. At its highest point, Chandra's highly elliptical, or egg- shaped, orbit is 200 times higher than that of its visible- light-gathering sister, the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., manages the Chandra program for the Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington. Northrop Grumman of Redondo Beach, Calif., formerly TRW, Inc., was the prime development contractor for the observatory. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations from the Chandra X-ray Center in Cambridge, Mass. For information about NASA on the Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov For information about the Chandra X-ray Observatory on the Internet, visit: http://chandra.harvard.edu and http://chandra.nasa.gov

NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate the International Year of Astronomy With a National Unveiling of Spectacular Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2009-02-01

In 1609, Galileo first turned his telescope to the heavens and gave birth to modern astronomy. To commemorate four hundred years of exploring the universe, 2009 is designated the International Year of Astronomy. NASA's Great Observatories - the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory - are marking the occasion with the release of a suite of images at over 100 planetariums, museums, nature centers, and schools across the country in conjunction with Galileo's birthday on February 15. The selected sites will unveil a large 9-square-foot print of the spiral galaxy Messier 101 that combines the optical view of Hubble, the infrared view of Spitzer, and the X-ray view of Chandra into one multi-wavelength picture. "It's like using your eyes, night vision goggles, and X-ray vision all at the same time," says Dr. Hashima Hasan, lead scientist for the International Year of Astronomy at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Cas A animation Chandra X-ray Image of M101 Participating institutions also will display a matched trio of Hubble, Spitzer, and Chandra images of Messier 101. Each image shows a different wavelength view of the galaxy that illustrates not only the different science uncovered by each observatory, but also just how far astronomy has come since Galileo. Messier 101 is a face-on spiral galaxy about 22 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. It is in many ways similar to, but larger than, our own Milky Way galaxy. Hubble's visible light view shows off the swirls of bright stars and glowing gas that give the galaxy its nickname the Pinwheel Galaxy. In contrast, Spitzer's infrared-light image sees into the spiral arms and reveals the glow of dust lanes where dense clouds can collapse to form new stars. Chandra's X-ray picture uncovers the high-energy features in the galaxy, such as remnants of exploded stars or matter zooming around black holes. The juxtaposition of observations from these three telescopes provides an in-depth view of the galaxy for both astronomers and the public. People Who Read This Also Read... Cosmic Heavyweights in Free-for-all Milky Way’s Giant Black Hole Awoke from Slumber 300 Years Ago Chandra Data Reveal Rapidly Whirling Black Holes Jet Power and Black Hole Assortment Revealed in New Chandra Image "The amazing scientific discoveries made by Galileo four centuries ago are continued today by scientists using NASA's space observatories," says Dr. Denise Smith, the unveiling Project Manager at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. "NASA's Great Observatories are distributing huge prints of spectacular images so that the public can share in the exploration and wonder of the universe." The unveilings will take place between February 14 and 28 at 76 museums and 40 schools and universities in 39 states, reaching both big cities and small towns. Sites are planning celebrations involving the public, schools, and the local media. A complete listing of the national unveiling sites accompanies this press release. The International Year of Astronomy Great Observatories Image Unveiling is supported by the NASA Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Division. The project is a collaboration between the Space Telescope Science Institute, the Spitzer Science Center, and the Chandra X-ray Center.

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becklin, Eric E.; Casey, Sean C.; Davidson, Jacqueline A.; Savage, Maureen L.

1998-08-01

The joint US and German SOFIA project to develop and operate a 2.5 meter IR airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP is now in its second year. The Universities Space Research Association , teamed with Raytheon E-Systems and United Airlines, is developing and will operate SOFIA. The 2.5 meter telescope will be designed and built by a consortium of German companies led by MAN. Work on the aircraft and the preliminary mirror has started. First science flights will begin in 2001 with 20 percent of the observing time assigned to German investigators. The observatory is expected to operate for over 20 years. The sensitivity, characteristics, US science instrument complement, and operations concept for the SOFIA observatory, with an emphasis on the science community's participation are discussed.

Space Based Gravitational Wave Observatories (SGOs)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livas, Jeff

2014-01-01

Space-based Gravitational-wave Observatories (SGOs) will enable the systematic study of the frequency band from 0.0001 - 1 Hz of gravitational waves, where a rich array of astrophysical sources is expected. ESA has selected The Gravitational Universe as the science theme for the L3 mission opportunity with a nominal launch date in 2034. This will be at a minimum 15 years after ground-based detectors and pulsar timing arrays announce their first detections and at least 18 years after the LISA Pathfinder Mission will have demonstrated key technologies in a dedicated space mission. It is therefore important to develop mission concepts that can take advantage of the momentum in the field and the investment in both technology development and a precision measurement community on a more near-term timescale than the L3 opportunity. This talk will discuss a mission concept based on the LISA baseline that resulted from a recent mission architecture study.

Initial Technology Assessment for the Large-Aperture UV-Optical-Infrared (LUVOIR) Mission Concept Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolcar, Matthew R.; Feinberg, Lee; France, Kevin; Rauscher, Bernard J.; Redding, David; Schiminovich, David

2016-01-01

The NASA Astrophysics Division's 30-Year Roadmap prioritized a future large-aperture space telescope operating in the ultra-violet/optical/infrared wavelength regime. The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy envisioned a similar observatory, the High Definition Space Telescope. And a multi-institution group also studied the Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope. In all three cases, a broad science case is outlined, combining general astrophysics with the search for biosignatures via direct-imaging and spectroscopic characterization of habitable exoplanets. We present an initial technology assessment that enables such an observatory that is currently being studied for the 2020 Decadal Survey by the Large UV/Optical/Infrared (LUVOIR) surveyor Science and Technology Definition Team. We present here the technology prioritization for the 2016 technology cycle and define the required technology capabilities and current state-of-the-art performance. Current, planned, and recommended technology development efforts are also reported.

Initial Technology Assessment for the Large UV-Optical-Infrared (LUVOIR) Mission Concept Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolcar, Matthew R.; Feinberg, Lee D.; France, Kevin; Rauscher, Bernard J.; Redding, David; Schiminovich, David

2016-01-01

The NASA Astrophysics Divisions 30-Year Roadmap prioritized a future large-aperture space telescope operating in the ultra-violet-optical-infrared wavelength regime. The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy envisioned a similar observatory, the High Definition Space Telescope. And a multi-institution group also studied the Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope. In all three cases, a broad science case is outlined, combining general astrophysics with the search for bio-signatures via direct-imaging and spectroscopic characterization of habitable exo-planets. We present an initial technology assessment that enables such an observatory that is currently being studied for the 2020 Decadal Survey by the Large UV-Optical Infrared (LUVOIR) surveyor Science and Technology Definition Team. We present here the technology prioritization for the 2016 technology cycle and define the required technology capabilities and current state-of-the-art performance. Current, planned, and recommended technology development efforts are also reported.

MASER: Measuring, Analysing, Simulating low frequency Radio Emissions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecconi, B.; Le Sidaner, P.; Savalle, R.; Bonnin, X.; Zarka, P. M.; Louis, C.; Coffre, A.; Lamy, L.; Denis, L.; Griessmeier, J. M.; Faden, J.; Piker, C.; André, N.; Genot, V. N.; Erard, S.; King, T. A.; Mafi, J. N.; Sharlow, M.; Sky, J.; Demleitner, M.

2017-12-01

The MASER (Measuring, Analysing and Simulating Radio Emissions) project provides a comprehensive infrastructure dedicated to low frequency radio emissions (typically < 50 to 100 MHz). The four main radio sources observed in this frequency are the Earth, the Sun, Jupiter and Saturn. They are observed either from ground (down to 10 MHz) or from space. Ground observatories are more sensitive than space observatories and capture high resolution data streams (up to a few TB per day for modern instruments). Conversely, space-borne instruments can observe below the ionospheric cut-off (10 MHz) and can be placed closer to the studied object. Several tools have been developed in the last decade for sharing space physcis data. Data visualization tools developed by The CDPP (http://cdpp.eu, Centre de Données de la Physique des Plasmas, in Toulouse, France) and the University of Iowa (Autoplot, http://autoplot.org) are available to display and analyse space physics time series and spectrograms. A planetary radio emission simulation software is developed in LESIA (ExPRES: Exoplanetary and Planetary Radio Emission Simulator). The VESPA (Virtual European Solar and Planetary Access) provides a search interface that allows to discover data of interest for scientific users, and is based on IVOA standards (astronomical International Virtual Observatory Alliance). The University of Iowa also develops Das2server that allows to distribute data with adjustable temporal resolution. MASER is making use of all these tools and standards to distribute datasets from space and ground radio instruments available from the Observatoire de Paris, the Station de Radioastronomie de Nançay and the CDPP deep archive. These datasets include Cassini/RPWS, STEREO/Waves, WIND/Waves, Ulysses/URAP, ISEE3/SBH, Voyager/PRA, Nançay Decameter Array (Routine, NewRoutine, JunoN), RadioJove archive, swedish Viking mission, Interball/POLRAD... MASER also includes a Python software library for reading raw data.

Reconstruction of 10(exp 20)ev Showers in EUSO and JEM EUSO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andreev, V.; Adams, J.; Cline, D.

2007-01-01

We describe the procedure to reconstruct 10(exp 20) ev showers in Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO). We show the angular and energy resolution is excellent. We now apply this to the newly proposed Japanese JEM-EUSO and will present results at the meeting.

2MASS J0516288+260738: Discovery of the first eclipsing late K + Brown dwarf binary system?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuh, S. L.; Handler, G.; Drechsel, H.; Hauschildt, P.; Dreizler, S.; Medupe, R.; Karl, C.; Napiwotzki, R.; Kim, S.-L.; Park, B.-G.; Wood, M. A.; Paparó, M.; Szeidl, B.; Virághalmy, G.; Zsuffa, D.; Hashimoto, O.; Kinugasa, K.; Taguchi, H.; Kambe, E.; Leibowitz, E.; Ibbetson, P.; Lipkin, Y.; Nagel, T.; Göhler, E.; Pretorius, M. L.

2003-11-01

We report the discovery of a new eclipsing system less than one arcminute south of the pulsating DB white dwarf KUV 05134+2605. The object could be identified with the point source 2MASS J0516288+260738 published by the Two Micron All Sky Survey. We present and discuss the first light curves as well as some additional colour and spectral information. The eclipse period of the system is 1.29 d, and, assuming this to be identical to the orbital period, the best light curve solution yields a mass ratio of m2/m1=0.11, a radius ratio of r2/r1~ 1 and an inclination of 74o. The spectral anaylsis results in a Teff=4200 K for the primary. On this basis, we suggest that the new system probably consists of a late K + Brown dwarf (which would imply a system considerably younger than ~0.01 Gyr to have r2/r1~ 1), and outline possible future observations. This paper uses observations made at the Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory of Korea Astronomy Observatory, at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), at the 0.9 m telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory recommissioned by the Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA), at Gunma Astronomical Observatory established by Gunma prefecture, Japan, at the Florence and George Wise Observatory, operated by the Tel-Aviv University, Israel and at Piszkésteto, the mountain station of Konkoly Observatory of the Hungarian Academy of Science, Hungary. This publication makes use of data products from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, a joint project of the University of Massachusetts and the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center / California Institute of Technology, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation. The Digitized Sky Survey was produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute under US Government grant NAG W-2166. The images of these surveys are based on photographic data obtained using the Oschin Schmidt Telescope on Palomar Mountain and the UK Schmidt Telescope. The plates were processed into the present compressed digital form with the permission of these institutions.

Hubble Monitors Supernova In Nearby Galaxy M82

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-26

This is a Hubble Space Telescope composite image of a supernova explosion designated SN 2014J in the galaxy M82. At a distance of approximately 11.5 million light-years from Earth it is the closest supernova of its type discovered in the past few decades. The explosion is categorized as a Type Ia supernova, which is theorized to be triggered in binary systems consisting of a white dwarf and another star — which could be a second white dwarf, a star like our sun, or a giant star. Astronomers using a ground-based telescope discovered the explosion on January 21, 2014. This Hubble photograph was taken on January 31, as the supernova approached its peak brightness. The Hubble data are expected to help astronomers refine distance measurements to Type Ia supernovae. In addition, the observations could yield insights into what kind of stars were involved in the explosion. Hubble’s ultraviolet-light sensitivity will allow astronomers to probe the environment around the site of the supernova explosion and in the interstellar medium of the host galaxy. Because of their consistent peak brightness, Type Ia supernovae are among the best tools to measure distances in the universe. They were fundamental to the 1998 discovery of the mysterious acceleration of the expanding universe. A hypothesized repulsive force, called dark energy, is thought to cause the acceleration. Among the other major NASA space-based observatories used in the M82 viewing campaign are Spitzer Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer, and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Image Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Goobar (Stockholm University), and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Image Processing for Educators in Global Hands-On Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, J. P.; Pennypacker, C. R.; White, G. L.

2006-08-01

A method of image processing to find time-varying objects is being developed for the National Virtual Observatory as part of Global Hands-On Universe(tm) (Lawrence Hall of Science; University of California, Berkeley). Objects that vary in space or time are of prime importance in modern astronomy and astrophysics. Such objects include active galactic nuclei, variable stars, supernovae, or moving objects across a field of view such as an asteroid, comet, or extrasolar planet transiting its parent star. The search for these objects is undertaken by acquiring an image of the region of the sky where they occur followed by a second image taken at a later time. Ideally, both images are taken with the same telescope using the same filter and charge-coupled device. The two images are aligned and subtracted with the subtracted image revealing any changes in light during the time period between the two images. We have used a method of Christophe Alard using the image processing software IDL Version 6.2 (Research Systems, Inc.) with the exception of the background correction, which is done on the two images prior to the subtraction. Testing has been extensive, using images provided by a number of National Virtual Observatory and collaborating projects. They include the Supernovae Trace Cosmic Expansion (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory), Supernovae/ Acceleration Program (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (Lowell Observatory), and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Paris, France). Further testing has been done with students, including a May 2006 two week program at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Students from Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, TX) and Jackson State University (Jackson, MS) used the subtraction method to analyze images from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) searching for new asteroids and Kuiper Belt objects. In October 2006 students from five U.S. high schools will use the subtraction method in an asteroid search campaign using CTIO images with 7-day follow-up images to be provided by the Las Cumbres Observatory (Santa Barbara, CA). During the Spring 2006 semester, students from Cape Fear High School used the method to search for near-Earth objects and supernovae. Using images from the Astronomical Research Institute (Charleston, IL) the method contributed to the original discovery of two supernovae, SN 2006al and SN 2006bi.

Two Active Nuclei in 3C 294

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stockton, Alan; Canalizo, Gabriela; Nelan, E. P.; Ridgway, Susan E.

2004-01-01

The z=1.786 radio galaxy 3C 294 lies < 10" from a 12 mag star and has been the target of at least three previous investigations using adaptive optics (AO) imaging. A major problem in interpreting these results is the uncertainty in the precise alignment of the radio structure with the H- or K-band AO imaging. Here we report observations of the position of the AO guide star with the Hubble Space Telescope Fine Guidance Sensor, which, together with positions from the second United States Naval Observatory's CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC2), allow us to register the infrared and radio frames to an accuracy of better than 0.1". The result is that the nuclear compact radio source is not coincident with the brightest discrete object in the AO image, an essentially unresolved source on the eastern side of the light distribution, as Quirrenbach and coworkers had suggested. Instead, the radio source is centered about 0.9" to the west of this object, on one of the two apparently real peaks in a region of diffuse emission. Nevertheless, the conclusion of Quirrenbach and coworkers that 3C 294 involves an ongoing merger appears to be correct: analysis of a recent deep Chandra image of 3C 294 obtained from the archive shows that the nucleus comprises two X-ray sources, which are coincident with the radio nucleus and the eastern stellar object. The X-ray/optical flux ratio of the latter makes it extremely unlikely that it is a foreground Galactic star. Based in part on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. These observations are associated with proposal 08315. Based in part on data collected at Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. Some of the data were also obtained from the Chandra Data Archive, part of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Science Center, which is operated for NASA by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

Science Enabled by Ocean Observatory Acoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howe, B. M.; Lee, C.; Gobat, J.; Freitag, L.; Miller, J. H.; Committee, I.

2004-12-01

Ocean observatories have the potential to examine the physical, chemical, biological, and geological parameters and processes of the ocean at time and space scales previously unexplored. Acoustics provides an efficient and cost-effective means by which these parameters and processes can be measured and information can be communicated. Integrated acoustics systems providing navigation and communications for mobile platforms and conducting acoustical measurements in support of science objectives are critical and essential elements of the ocean observatories presently in the planning and implementation stages. The ORION Workshop (Puerto Rico, 4-8 January 2004) developed science themes that can be addressed utilizing ocean observatory infrastructure. The use of acoustics to sense the 3-d/volumetric ocean environment on all temporal and spatial scales was discussed in many ORION working groups. Science themes that are related to acoustics and measurements using acoustics are reviewed and tabulated, as are the related and sometimes competing requirements for passive listening, acoustic navigation and acoustic communication around observatories. Sound in the sea, brought from observatories to universities and schools via the internet, will also be a major education and outreach mechanism.

Astronomy Against Terrorism: an Educational Astronomical Observatory Project in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishitsuka, M.; Montes, H.; Kuroda, T.; Morimoto, M.; Ishitsuka, J.

2003-05-01

The Cosmos Coronagraphic Observatory was completely destroyed by terrorists in 1988. In 1995, in coordination with the Minister of Education of Peru, a project to construct a new Educational Astronomical Observatory has been executed. The main purpose of the observatory is to promote an interest in basic space sciences in young students from school to university levels, through basic astronomical studies and observations. The planned observatory will be able to lodge 25 visitors; furthermore an auditorium, a library and a computer room will be constructed to improve the interest of people in astronomy. Two 15-cm refractor telescopes, equipped with a CCD camera and a photometer, will be available for observations. Also a 6-m dome will house a 60-cm class reflector telescope, which will be donated soon, thanks to a fund collected and organized by the Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory in Japan. In addition a new modern planetarium donated by the Government of Japan will be installed in Lima, the capital of Peru. These installations will be widely open to serve the requirements of people interested in science.

Whirlpool Galaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Scientists are seeing unprecedented detail of the spiral arms and dust clouds in the nearby Whirlpool galaxy, thanks to a new Hubble Space Telescope image, available at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/pictures/wfpc/wfpc.html. The image uses data collected January 15 and 24, 1995, and July 21, 1999, by Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, designed and built by JPL. Using the image, a research group led by Dr. Nick Scoville of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, clearly defined the structure of the galaxy's cold dust clouds and hot hydrogen, and they linked star clusters within the galaxy to their parent dust clouds.

The Whirlpool galaxy is one of the most photogenic galaxies. This celestial beauty is easily seen and photographed with smaller telescopes and studied extensively from large ground- and space-based observatories. The new composite image shows visible starlight and light from the emission of glowing hydrogen, which is associated with the most luminous young stars in the spiral arms.

The galaxy is having a close encounter with a nearby companion galaxy, NGC 5195, just off the upper edge of the image. The companion's gravitational pull is triggering star formation in the main galaxy, lit up by numerous clusters of young and energetic stars in brilliant detail. Luminous clusters are highlighted in red by their associated emission from glowing hydrogen gas.

This image was composed by the Hubble Heritage Team from Hubble archive data and was superimposed onto data taken by Dr. Travis Rector of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory at the .9-meter (35-inch) telescope at the National Science Foundation's Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Ariz. Scoville's team includes M. Polletta of the University of Geneva, Switzerland; S. Ewald and S. Stolovy of Caltech; and R. Thompson and M. Rieke of the University of Arizona, Tucson.

The Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md., manages space operations for the Hubble Space Telescope for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The institute is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., for NASA under contract with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. JPL is a division of Caltech.

Additional information about the Hubble Space Telescope is available at http://www.stsci.edu . More information about the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 is available at http://wfpc2.jpl.nasa.gov

EUSO-SPB2: second generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) on board a Super-Pressure Balloon (SPB), The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Co-I PROPOSAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reardon, Patrick

This is the Co-Investigator Proposal for EUSO-SPB2, second generation Extreme Universe Space Observatory on a Super-Pressure Balloon, being led by PI Angela V. Olinto at the University of Chicago. We propose to design, build, deploy, and publish the scientific results of a second generation of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO), to be flown aboard a Super-Pressure Balloon (SBP). EUSO-SPB2 will monitor the night sky of the Southern hemisphere to study cosmic rays of very high to ultrahigh energies and pioneer the search for cosmogenic tau neutrinos from space. EUSO-SPB2 will be the first instrument to observe Cherenkov light from extensive air-showers high in the atmosphere. EUSOSPB2 will observe a large sample of cosmic rays from 0.1 to 1 EeV with the Cherenkov technique and will discriminate among the Cherenkov profiles of primary protons, heavy nuclei, and photons. It will also characterize the background for upward going showers initiated by the decay of tau leptons, which are expected to be produced by Earthskimming tau neutrinos. A coincidence veto will be developed for EUSO-SPB2 so it can characterize the background for Cherenkov signals from the neutrino produced tau leptons. EUSO-SPB2 will also use fluorescence observations to measure, for the first time, the evolution of nearly horizontal high altitude extensive air showers, which develop at the nearly constant low-density atmosphere. Such measurements will provide a unique channel to probe hadronic interaction models at ultrahigh energies, and may elucidate the reason why ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray (UHECR) showers observed by ground-based detectors contain more muons than expected from hadronic interaction models. EUSO-SPB2 is a pathfinder for the more ambitious space-based measurements by the Probe Of Extreme Multi-Messenger Astrophysics (POEMMA), currently proposed for a NASA design study. POEMMA will combine the well-developed Orbiting Widefield Light-collectors (OWL) concept with the recently proposed CHerenkov from Astrophysical Neutrinos Telescope (CHANT) concept to form a multi-messenger probe of the most extreme environments in the universe. EUSO-SPB2 will inform the best strategy for future space missions such as POEMMA. EUSO-SPB2 will build upon the experience of flying EUSO-SPB1 in the Spring of 2017. A number of upgrades will render EUSO-SPB2 more powerful, including a Schmidt design telescope and a faster ultraviolet (UV) camera to increase exposure. The new instrument will detect Cherenkov and fluorescence signal from highly inclined UHECR events. Horizontal observations will lead to much larger acceptance with a distancedependent energy threshold. Depending on EUSO-SPB1 results, EUSO-SPB2 may also point closer to nadir in fluorescence. The combination of nadir (EUSO-SPB) and tilted (EUSO-SPB2) observations will explore the power of space observatories to observe UHECR of extreme energies. A long enough flight of EUSO-SPB2 observations will match and complement ground observations. EUSO-SPB2 addresses the fourth science goal of the 2011 NASA Strategic Plan, to “Discover how the universe works, explore how it began and evolved” and one of the “Physics of the Cosmos” questions in NASA’s 2010 Science Plan: “How do matter, energy, space, and time behave under the extraordinarily diverse conditions of the cosmos?” EUSO-SPB2 directly addresses the sixth question in the “Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos” report in its list of “Eleven Science Questions for the New Century,” which is “How do Cosmic Accelerators Work and What are They Accelerating?”

The Virtual World Presence of the International Year of Astronomy 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, Adrienne J.; Huber, D.; Gay, P. L.; New Media Task Group IYA2009

2010-01-01

From January 2009 to January 2010, the virtual celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 has come full circle side-by-side with the real world celebrations. Throughout the year, the 'Astronomy 2009' island promoted the IYA2009 within the virtual world of Second Life(R) with the goal to engage and inspire the general public in astronomy. This island is situated in the group area called SciLands, a science and technology focused mini-continent of over 60 islands. We are host to immersive exhibits for the real life projects: From Earth to the Universe, The World at Night, Dark Skies Awareness, Let There Be Night, IAAA The Artists' Universe, 365 Days of Astronomy podcast, Spitzer's MIPSGAL/GLIMPSE walkable image, and Adler Planetarium's Far Out Fridays lecture series. Spitzer Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Hubble Heritage project provided over 300 free textures in a gift pack to visitors. Other exhibits include a replica of the Lord Rosse Leviathan telescope, an astrophotography grotto featuring Adam Block, David Malin, and John Gleason's work, a functional planetarium donated by Rob Knop, and live star party events from Chico Observatory. We'll review the exhibits and live events presented throughout the past year and speak towards the plans for the future. Formative evaluation strategies and first impressions of the summative evaluation of the first year of the project will be presented. Special thanks to our sponsors: Interstellar Studios/400 Years of the Telescope, Department of Astronomy University of Arizona, Spitzer Space Telescope, Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and Helio Huet.

Germanium, Arsenic, and Selenium Abundances in Metal-poor Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roederer, Ian U.

2012-09-01

The elements germanium (Ge, Z = 32), arsenic (As, Z = 33), and selenium (Se, Z = 34) span the transition from charged-particle or explosive synthesis of the iron-group elements to neutron-capture synthesis of heavier elements. Among these three elements, only the chemical evolution of germanium has been studied previously. Here we use archive observations made with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope and observations from several ground-based facilities to study the chemical enrichment histories of seven stars with metallicities -2.6 <= [Fe/H] <= -0.4. We perform a standard abundance analysis of germanium, arsenic, selenium, and several other elements produced by neutron-capture reactions. When combined with previous derivations of germanium abundances in metal-poor stars, our sample reveals an increase in the [Ge/Fe] ratios at higher metallicities. This could mark the onset of the weak s-process contribution to germanium. In contrast, the [As/Fe] and [Se/Fe] ratios remain roughly constant. These data do not directly indicate the origin of germanium, arsenic, and selenium at low metallicity, but they suggest that the weak and main components of the s-process are not likely sources. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute. STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. This research made use of StarCAT, hosted by the Mikulski Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute (MAST). These data are associated with Programs GO-7348, GO-7433, GO-8197, GO-9048, GO-9455, and GO-9804.Based on data obtained from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Science Archive Facility. These data are associated with Programs 67.D-0439(A), 074.C-0364(A), 076.B-0055(A), and 080.D-0347(A).This research has made use of the Keck Observatory Archive (KOA), which is operated by the W.M. Keck Observatory and the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI), under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. These data are associated with Programs H2aH, H6aH, and H39aH (PI: Boesgaard), N01H (PI: Latham), and U11H (PI: Prochaska).This paper includes data taken at The McDonald Observatory of The University of Texas at Austin.

The Virtual Earth-Solar Observatory of the SCiESMEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De la Luz, V.; Gonzalez-Esparza, A.; Cifuentes-Nava, G.

2015-12-01

The Mexican Space Weather Service (SCiESMEX, http://www.sciesmex.unam.mx) started operations in October 2014. The project includes the Virtual Earth-Solar Observatory (VESO, http://www.veso.unam.mx). The VESO is a improved project wich objetive is integrate the space weather instrumentation network from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The network includes the Mexican Array Radiotelescope (MEXART), the Callisto receptor (MEXART), a Neutron Telescope, a Cosmic Ray Telescope. the Schumann Antenna, the National Magnetic Service, and the mexican GPS network (TlalocNet). The VESO facility is located at the Geophysics Institute campus Michoacan (UNAM). We offer the service of data store, real-time data, and quasi real-time data. The hardware of VESO includes a High Performance Computer (HPC) dedicated specially to big data storage.

KSC-99pp0621

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-01

In the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is moved toward the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) in a workstand at right. There it will be mated with the IUS and then undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0624

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-01

In the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is revealed with its protective cover removed. Chandra is ready for mating with the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) beneath it, to be followed by testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and to check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0622

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-01

In the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is lowered toward the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) in a workstand beneath it. There it will be mated with the IUS and then undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and to check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0625

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-04

Workers in the Vertical Processing Facility observe the lower end of the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) that will be mated with the Chandra X-ray Observatory (out of sight above it). After the two components are mated, they will undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and to check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0620

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-01

In the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is lifted from its workstand in order to move it to the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) nearby. After being mated, the two components will then undergo testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

Nearby star cluster yields insights into early universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-07-01

The nebula offers a unique opportunity for a close-up glimpse of the "firestorm" accompanying the birth of extremely massive stars, each blazing with the brilliance of 300,000 of our suns. Such galactic fireworks were much more common billions of years ago in the early universe, when most star formation took place. "This is giving us new insights into the physical mechanisms governing star formation in far away galaxies that existed long ago," says Mohammad Heydari-Malayeri (Paris Observatory, France), who headed the international team of astronomers who made the discovery using Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. Because these stars are deficient in heavier elements, they also evolve much like the universe's earliest stars, which were made almost exclusively of the primordial elements hydrogen and helium that were created in the big bang. The Small Magellanic Cloud is a unique laboratory for studying star formation in the early universe since it is the closest and best seen galaxy containing so-called "metal-poor" first- and second -generation type stars. These observations show that massive stars may form in groups. "As a result, it is more likely some of these stars are members of double and multiple star systems," says Heydari-Malayeri. "The multiple systems will affect stellar evolution considerably by ejecting a great deal of matter into space." This furious rate of mass loss from these stars is evident in the Hubble picture, which reveals dramatic shapes sculpted in the nebula's wall of glowing gases by violent stellar winds and shock waves. "This implies a very turbulent environment typical of young star formation regions," Heydari-Malayeri adds. He believes one of the members of the cluster may be an extremely rare and short-lived class of super-hot star (50,000 degrees Kelvin) called a Wolf-Rayet. This star represents a violent, transitional phase in the final years of a massive star's existence - before it ultimately explodes as a supernova. "If confirmed by future Hubble observations, this finding will have a far-reaching impact on stellar evolutionary models," says Heydari-Malayeri. "That's because the Wolf-Rayet candidate is fainter than other such stars in that galaxy, in contrast with the predictions of these models." Hubble's resolution allows astronomers to pinpoint 50 separate stars tightly packed in the nebula's core within a 10 light-year diameter -- slightly more than twice the distance between Earth and the nearest star to our sun. The closest pair of stars is only one-third of a light-year apart. Before the Hubble observations, N81 was simply dubbed, "The Blob" because its features were indistinguishable by other telescopes. The Hubble observations of N81 were conducted by the European astronomers Mohammed Heydari-Malayeri (Paris Observatory, France) and co-investigators Michael Rosa (Space Telescope-European Coordinating Facility, European Southern Observatory, Germany), Hans Zinnecker (Astrophysics Institute, Potsdam, Germany), Lise Deharveng (Marseille Observatory, France), and Vassilis Charmandaris (Paris Observatory). Their work will be shortly submitted for publication in the European journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. The Space Telescope Science Institute is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. for NASA, under contract with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. Note to editors: A photo and caption associated with this release are available via the World-Wide Web at: http://oposite.stsci.edu/1998/25 or via links in: http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/latest.html or http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pictures.html. Further information is available from: Mohammad Heydari-Malayeri Paris Observatory, Paris, France (Phone: 33-1-40-51-20-76)

Pervaya uchebnaya astronomicheskaya observatoriya Moskovskogo universiteta %t The first eductational astronomical observatory of the Moscow University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponomareva, G. A.; Shcheglov, P. V.

Using archive materials found in the Central Historical Archive of Moscow and early publications in Russian and German press, we follow the history of the struggle for the foundation of the University's astronomical observatory by M. N. Muravyov, the University Warden in 1803-1807. Though F. Goldbach, the astronomy professor in 1804-1811, prepared the observatory's plan and budget, it was not possible to begin construction works. Nevertheless, a wooden dome was built in 1804 on the roof of the University's main building, referred to as "the astronomical bellevedere" by Muravyov. This fist educational astronomical observatory was used for practical studies and for the students' observations. F. Goldbach himself observed from the window of a room in his apartment, so his colleagues called that room "Goldbach's observatory". Later this fact was a source of confusion for the University's historiographers. The educational observatory was destroyed, with the whole University, by the fire in September 1812. The existing archive documents claim that the Moscow University's Presnya observatory was built as a replacemnet of the one destroyed by the fire in 1812.

Astronomy education through hands-on photography workshops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schofield, I.; Connors, M. G.; Holmberg, R.

2013-12-01

Athabasca University (AU), Athabasca University Geophysical and Geo-Space Observatories (AUGO / AUGSO), the Rotary Club of Athabasca and Science Outreach Athabasca has designed a three day science workshop entitled Photography and the Night Sky. This pilot workshop, aimed primarily at high-school aged students, serves as an introduction to observational astronomy as seen in the western Canadian night sky using digital astrophotography without the use of a telescope or tracking mount. Participants learn the layout of the night sky by proficiently photographing it using digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) kits including telephoto and wide-angle lenses, tripod and cable release. The kits are assembled with entry-level consumer-grade camera gear as to be affordable by the participants, if they so desire to purchase their own equipment after the workshop. Basic digital photo editing is covered using free photo editing software (IrfanView). Students are given an overview of observational astronomy using interactive planetarium software (Stellarium) before heading outdoors to shoot the night sky. Photography is conducted at AU's auroral observatories, both of which possess dark open sky that is ideal for night sky viewing. If space weather conditions are favorable, there are opportunities to photograph the aurora borealis, then compare results with imagery generated by the all-sky auroral imagers located at the Geo-Space observatory. The aim of this program is to develop awareness to the science and beauty of the night sky, while promoting photography as a rewarding, lifelong hobby. Moreover, emphasis is placed on western Canada's unique subauroral location that makes aurora watching highly accessible and rewarding in 2013, the maximum of the current solar cycle.

The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, Kenneth C.

2014-01-01

Pan-STARRS1 is approaching the completion of the PS1 Science Mission. Operations of the PS1 System include the Observatory, Telescope, 1.4 Gigapixel Camera, Image Processing Pipeline , PSPS relational database and reduced science product software servers. The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys include: (1) A 3pi Steradian Survey, (2) A Medium Deep survey of 10 PS1 footprints spaced around the sky; (3) A solar system survey optimized for Near Earth Objects, (4) a Stellar Transit Survey; and (5) a Deep Survey of M31. The PS1 3pi Survey has now covered the sky north of dec=-30 with more than 12 visits in five bands: g,r,i,z and y or over ~60 epochs per 0.25 arcsec resolution element on the sky. The performance of the PS1 system, sky coverage, cadence, and data quality of the Pan-STARRS1 Surveys will be presented as well as progress in reprocessing of the data taken to date and the plans for the public release of all Pan-STARRS1 data products in the spring of 2015. The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys (PS1) have been made possible through contributions of the Institute for Astronomy, the University of Hawaii, the Pan-STARRS Project Office, the Max-Planck Society and its participating institutes, the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching, The Johns Hopkins University, Durham University, the University of Edinburgh, Queen's University Belfast, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Incorporated, the National Central University of Taiwan, the Space Telescope Science Institute, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. NNX08AR22G issued through the Planetary Science Division of the NASA Science Mission Directorate, the National Science Foundation under Grant No. AST-1238877, the University of Maryland, and Eotvos Lorand University (ELTE).

Polish and European SST Assets: the Solaris-Panoptes Global Network of Robotic Telescopes and the Borowiec Satellite Laser Ranging System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konacki, M.; Lejba, P.; Sybilski, P.; Pawłaszek, R.; Kozłowski, S.; Suchodolski, T.; Litwicki, M.; Kolb, U.; Burwitz, V.; Baader, J.; Groot, P.; Bloemen, S.; Ratajczak, M.; Helminiak, K.; Borek, R.; Chodosiewicz, P.

2016-09-01

We present the assets of the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Space Research Center (both of the Polish Academy of Sciences), two Polish companies Sybilla Technologies, Cillium Engineering and a non-profit research foundation Baltic Institute of Technology. These assets are enhanced by telescopes belonging to The Open University (UK), the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and in the future the Radboud University. They consist of the Solaris-Panoptes global network of optical robotic telescopes and the satellite laser ranging station in Borowiec, Poland. These assets will contribute to the Polish and European Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) program. The Solaris component is composed of four autonomous observatories in the Southern Hemisphere. Solaris nodes are located at the South African Astronomical Observatory (Solaris-1 and Solaris-2), Siding Spring Observatory, Australia (Solaris-3) and Complejo Astronomico El Leoncito, Argentina (Solaris-4). They are equipped with 0.5-m telescopes on ASA DDM-160 direct drive mounts, Andor iKon-L cameras and housed in 3.5-m Baader Planetarium (BP) clamshell domes. The Panoptes component is a network of telescopes operated by software from Sybilla Technologies. It currently consists of 4 telescopes at three locations, all on GM4000 mounts. One 0.36-m (Panoptes-COAST, STL- 1001E camera, 3.5 BP clamshell dome) and one 0.43-m (Panoptes-PIRATE, FLI 16803 camera, 4.5-m BP clamshell dome, with planned exchange to 0.63-m) telescope are located at the Teide Observatory (Tenerfie, Canary Islands), one 0.6-m (Panoptes-COG, SBIG STX 16803 camera, 4.5-m BP clamshell dome) telescope in Garching, Germany and one 0.5-m (Panoptes-MAM, FLI 16803 camera, 4.5-m BP slit dome) in Mammendorf, Germany. Panoptes-COAST and Panoptes-PIRATE are owned by The Open University (UK). Panoptes-COG is owned by the Max Planck Institute

MDM Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

MDM Observatory was founded by the University of Michigan, Dartmouth College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Current operating partners include Michigan, Dartmouth, MIT, Ohio State University and Columbia University. The observatory is located on the southwest ridge of the KITT PEAK NATIONAL OBSERVATORY near Tucson, Arizona. It operates the 2.4 m Hiltner Telescope and the 1.3 m McG...

KSC-99pp0354

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

Viewed from above in the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is seen with one of its solar panel arrays attached, at right. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0356

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-25

In the Vertical Processing Facility, TRW workers continue checking the deployment of the solar panel array (right) after attaching it to the Chandra X-ray Observatory (left). Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0352

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

TRW technicians in the Vertical Processing Facility check the fitting of the solar panel array being attached to the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0363

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

TRW workers in the Vertical Processing Facility check equipment after deployment of the solar panel array above them, attached to the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0362

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

In the Vertical Processing Facility, the Chandra X-ray Observatory is observed after deployment of the solar panel array (near the bottom and to the right). Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

Observing RR Lyrae Variables in the M3 Globular Cluster with the BYU West Mountain Observatory (Abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joner, M. D.

2016-06-01

(Abstract only) We have utilized the 0.9-meter telescope of the Brigham Young University West Mountain Observatory to secure data on the northern hemisphere globular cluster NGC 5272 (M3). We made 216 observations in the V filter spaced between March and August 2012. We present light curves of the M3 RR Lyrae stars using different techniques. We compare light curves produced using DAOPHOT and ISIS software packages for stars in both the halo and core regions of this globular cluster. The light curve fitting is done using FITLC.

Active Galactic Nucleus Host Galaxy Morphologies in COSMOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabor, J. M.; Impey, C. D.; Jahnke, K.; Simmons, B. D.; Trump, J. R.; Koekemoer, A. M.; Brusa, M.; Cappelluti, N.; Schinnerer, E.; Smolčić, V.; Salvato, M.; Rhodes, J. D.; Mobasher, B.; Capak, P.; Massey, R.; Leauthaud, A.; Scoville, N.

2009-01-01

We use Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys images and a photometric catalog of the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field to analyze morphologies of the host galaxies of ~400 active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates at redshifts 0.3 < z < 1.0. We compare the AGN hosts with a sample of nonactive galaxies drawn from the COSMOS field to match the magnitude and redshift distribution of the AGN hosts. We perform two-dimensional surface brightness modeling with GALFIT to yield host galaxy and nuclear point source magnitudes. X-ray-selected AGN host galaxy morphologies span a substantial range that peaks between those of early-type, bulge-dominated and late-type, disk-dominated systems. We also measure the asymmetry and concentration of the host galaxies. Unaccounted for, the nuclear point source can significantly bias results of these measured structural parameters, so we subtract the best-fit point source component to obtain images of the underlying host galaxies. Our concentration measurements reinforce the findings of our two-dimensional morphology fits, placing X-ray AGN hosts between early- and late-type inactive galaxies. AGN host asymmetry distributions are consistent with those of control galaxies. Combined with a lack of excess companion galaxies around AGN, the asymmetry distributions indicate that strong interactions are no more prevalent among AGN than normal galaxies. In light of recent work, these results suggest that the host galaxies of AGN at these X-ray luminosities may be in a transition from disk-dominated to bulge-dominated, but that this transition is not typically triggered by major mergers. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA Inc, under NASA contract NAS 5-26555; also based on data collected at: the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; the XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA; the European Southern Observatory under Large Program 175.A-0839, Chile; Kitt Peak National Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which are operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation; the National Radio Astronomy Observatory which is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc; and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope with MegaPrime/MegaCam operated as a joint project by the CFHT Corporation, CEA/DAPNIA, the National Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique de France, TERAPIX and the University of Hawaii.

STS-31 Mission Insignia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The mission insignia for NASA's STS-31 mission features the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in its observing configuration against a background of the universe it will study. The cosmos includes a stylistic depiction of galaxies in recognition of the contribution made by Sir Edwin Hubble to our understanding of the nature of galaxies and the expansion of the universe. The STS-31 crew points out that is it in honor of Hubble's work that this great observatory in space bears his name. The depicted Space Shuttle trails a spectrum symbolic of both the red shift observations that were so important to Hubble's work and new information which will be obtained with the HST. Encircling the art work, designed by the crew, are the names of its members.

KSC-08pd0166

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The truck carrying the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage arrives at Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-08pd0433

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II second stage for GLAST has arrived at Hangar M and is prepared for weighing. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0167

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The truck carrying the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage backs into Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Environmental Effects on Star Formation Activity at z ~ 0.9 in the COSMOS Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kajisawa, M.; Shioya, Y.; Aida, Y.; Ideue, Y.; Taniguchi, Y.; Nagao, T.; Murayama, T.; Matsubayashi, K.; Riguccini, L.

2013-05-01

We investigated the fraction of [O II] emitters in galaxies at z ~ 0.9 as a function of the local galaxy density in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) COSMOS 2 deg2 field. [O II] emitters are selected by the narrowband excess technique with the NB711-band imaging data taken with Suprime-Cam on the Subaru telescope. We carefully selected 614 photo-z-selected galaxies with M U3500 < -19.31 at z = 0.901 - 0.920, which includes 195 [O II] emitters, to directly compare the results with our previous study at z ~ 1.2. We found that the fraction is almost constant at 0.3 Mpc-2 < Σ10th < 10 Mpc-2. We also checked the fraction of galaxies with blue rest-frame colors of NUV - R < 2 in our photo-z-selected sample, and found that the fraction of blue galaxies does not significantly depend on the local density. On the other hand, the semi-analytic model of galaxy formation predicted that the fraction of star-forming galaxies at z ~ 0.9 decreases with increasing projected galaxy density even if the effects of the projection and the photo-z error in our analysis were taken into account. The fraction of [O II] emitters decreases from ~60% at z ~ 1.2 to ~30% at z ~ 0.9 independent of galaxy environment. The decrease of the [O II] emitter fraction could be explained mainly by the rapid decrease of star formation activity in the universe from z ~ 1.2 to z ~ 0.9. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA Inc, under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. Also based on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under NASA contract 1407. Also based on data collected at the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; the XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA; the European Southern Observatory under Large Program 175.A-0839, Chile; Kitt Peak National Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which are operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation; and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope with MegaPrime/MegaCam operated as a joint project by the CFHT Corporation, CEA/DAPNIA, the NRC and CADC of Canada, the CNRS of France, TERAPIX, and the University of Hawaii.

KSC-08pd1138

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft is moved toward the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1139

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft is moved into the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1393

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., photographers take photos of NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft during a press showing. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1395

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Photographers take closeup shots of NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft during a press showing at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1038

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians give NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft a final cleaning. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1036

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians conduct black light inspection on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1037

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians give NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft a final cleaning. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1394

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A closeup of NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft during a press showing at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1391

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., work on closeouts of the payload attach fitting on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1034

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians conduct black light inspection on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1389

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- TvTechnicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., work on closeouts of the payload attach fitting on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1388

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., work on closeouts of the payload attach fitting on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1035

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians conduct black light inspection on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1392

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., work on closeouts of the payload attach fitting on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1390

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., work on closeouts of the payload attach fitting on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Exploration an the Search for Origins: A Vision for Ultraviolet-Optical-Infrared Space Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dressler, Alan (Editor); Brown, Robert A.; Davidsen, Arthur F.; Ellis, Richard S.; Freedman, Wendy L.; Green, Richard F.; Hauser, Michael G.; Kirshner, Robert P.; Kulkarni, Shrinivas; Lilly, Simon J.;

Direct Detection of the Close Companion of Polaris With the Hubble Space Telescope

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

Italy 4 European Southern Observatory, Karl - Schwarzschild -Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany; bono@mporzio.astro.it 5 Harvard University, 60...the late Karl Kamper to the study of Polaris were crucial to this work. REFERENCES Anderson, J., & King, I. R. 2004, Instrument Science Report ACS 2004

KSC-99pp0292

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-09

In the KSC Life Sciences Building, Hangar L, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Dr. Haig Keshishian checks fruit fly larvae in a petri dish. The larvae are part of an experiment that is a secondary payload on mission STS-93. The experiment will examine the effects of microgravity and space flight on the development of neural connections between specific motor neurons and their targets in muscle fibers. Dr. Keshishian, from Yale University, is the principle investigator for the experiment. The larvae will be contained in incubators that are part of a Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), which can start bioprocessing reactions by mixing or heating a sample and can also initiate multiple-step, sequential reactions in a technique called phased processing. The primary payload of mission STS-93 is the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. The target launch date for STS-93 is July 9, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, from Launch Pad 39B

Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Risk Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, Cheryl; Deininger, William D.; Baggett, Randy; Primo, Attina; Bowen, Mike; Cowart, Chris; Del Monte, Ettore; Ingram, Lindsey; Kalinowski, William; Kelley, Anthony;

Spectroscopy of High-Redshift Supernovae from the ESSENCE Project: The First 2 Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matheson, Thomas; Blondin, Stéphane; Foley, Ryan J.; Chornock, Ryan; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Leibundgut, Bruno; Smith, R. Chris; Sollerman, Jesper; Spyromilio, Jason; Kirshner, Robert P.; Clocchiatti, Alejandro; Aguilera, Claudio; Barris, Brian; Becker, Andrew C.; Challis, Peter; Covarrubias, Ricardo; Garnavich, Peter; Hicken, Malcolm; Jha, Saurabh; Krisciunas, Kevin; Li, Weidong; Miceli, Anthony; Miknaitis, Gajus; Prieto, Jose Luis; Rest, Armin; Riess, Adam G.; Salvo, Maria Elena; Schmidt, Brian P.; Stubbs, Christopher W.; Suntzeff, Nicholas B.; Tonry, John L.

2005-05-01

We present the results of spectroscopic observations of targets discovered during the first 2 years of the ESSENCE project. The goal of ESSENCE is to use a sample of ~200 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at moderate redshifts (0.2<~z<~0.8) to place constraints on the equation of state of the universe. Spectroscopy not only provides the redshifts of the objects but also confirms that some of the discoveries are indeed SNe Ia. This confirmation is critical to the project, as techniques developed to determine luminosity distances to SNe Ia depend on the knowledge that the objects at high redshift have the same properties as the ones at low redshift. We describe the methods of target selection and prioritization, the telescopes and detectors, and the software used to identify objects. The redshifts deduced from spectral matching of high-redshift SNe Ia with low-redshift SNe Ia are consistent with those determined from host-galaxy spectra. We show that the high-redshift SNe Ia match well with low-redshift templates. We include all spectra obtained by the ESSENCE project, including 52 SNe Ia, five core-collapse SNe, 12 active galactic nuclei, 19 galaxies, four possibly variable stars, and 16 objects with uncertain identifications. Based in part on observations obtained at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF); the European Southern Observatory, Chile (ESO Programme 170.A-0519) the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by AURA under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership (the NSF [United States], the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council [United Kingdom], the National Research Council [Canada], CONICYT [Chile], the Australian Research Council [Australia], CNPq [Brazil], and CONICET [Argentina] [programs GN-2002B-Q-14, GN-2003B-Q-14, and GS-2003B-Q-11]) the Magellan Telescopes at Las Campanas Observatory; the MMT Observatory, a joint facility of the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Arizona; and the F. L. Whipple Observatory, which is operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

STK: A new CCD camera at the University Observatory Jena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mugrauer, M.; Berthold, T.

2010-04-01

The Schmidt-Teleskop-Kamera (STK) is a new CCD-imager, which is operated since begin of 2009 at the University Observatory Jena. This article describes the main characteristics of the new camera. The properties of the STK detector, the astrometry and image quality of the STK, as well as its detection limits at the 0.9 m telescope of the University Observatory Jena are presented. Based on observations obtained with telescopes of the University Observatory Jena, which is operated by the Astrophysical Institute of the Friedrich-Schiller-University.

KSC-08pd0613

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is moved into the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center to begin prelaunch activities. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0610

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, arrives at Kennedy Space Center in a shipping container aboard a truck to begin final preparations for launch. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0614

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, workers maneuver the shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, into place. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0765

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, one of twin solar arrays is positioned on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility Delivery Delayed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1997-12-01

TRW Space and Electronics Group, Redondo Beach, CA, has notified NASA that it will be unable to deliver the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) to NASA's Kennedy Space Center, FL, on June 1, 1998, as required by contract, because it has experienced delays in assembly and testing of the facility. TRW is NASA's prime contractor for the observatory. NASA and contractor officials met at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, this week to discuss the issue. While no new delivery date was agreed upon, the agency has directed TRW to develop a plan of action that would show how the contractor can minimize impact to the June 1 delivery. Although a delay in delivery could delay the launch, currently scheduled for August 1998 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia's STS-93 mission, and could result in additional program costs, the exact impact is not yet known. "The delay in delivery of the observatory is unfortunate," said Fred Wojtalik, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center observatory projects office manager in Huntsville, AL. "However, our first priority is to launch a world-class observatory which has been thoroughly tested and meets all requirements. We will work closely with TRW to ensure that happens." The delay is primarily due to TRW's difficulty in configuring and programming its Integrated Spacecraft Automated Test System to test the observatory before it is delivered to NASA. The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility is expected to play a vital role in answering fundamental questions about the universe, including its age and size, and will probe the nature and amounts of so-called "dark matter," providing unique insight into one of nature's great puzzles. The observatory also will allow scientists to see and measure the details of hot gas clouds in clusters of galaxies; observe X-rays generated when stars are torn apart by the incredibly strong gravity around massive black holes in the centers of galaxies; and provide images that will help understand how exploding stars create and disperse many of the elements necessary for new stars, planets and life. The Marshall Space Flight Center manages development of the observatory for the Office of Space Science at NASA Headquarters. Made of glass purchased from Schott Glaswerke, Mainz, Germany, the telescope's mirrors were built by Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Danbury, CT, and assembled by Eastman-Kodak Company, Rochester, NY. The science instruments are being integrated into the science instrument module at Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, Boulder, CO, before being tested and shipped to TRW.

Orbit Refinement of Asteroids and Comets Using a Robotic Telescope Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lantz Caughey, Austin; Brown, Johnny; Puckett, Andrew W.; Hoette, Vivian L.; Johnson, Michael; McCarty, Cameron B.; Whitmore, Kevin; UNC-Chapel Hill SKYNET Team

2016-01-01

We report on a multi-semester project to refine the orbits of asteroids and comets in our Solar System. One of the newest fields of research for undergraduate Astrophysics students at Columbus State University is that of asteroid astrometry. By measuring the positions of an asteroid in a set of images, we can reduce the overall uncertainty in the accepted orbital parameters of that object. These measurements, using our WestRock Observatory (WRO) and several other telescopes around the world, are being published through the Minor Planet Center (MPC) and benefit the global community.Three different methods are used to obtain these observations. First, we use our own 24-inch telescope at WRO, located in at CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science Center in downtown Columbus, Georgia . Second, we have access to data from the 20-inch telescope at Stone Edge Observatory in El Verano, California. Finally, we may request images remotely using Skynet, an online worldwide network of robotic telescopes. Our primary and long-time collaborator on Skynet has been the "41-inch" reflecting telescope at Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. Thus far, we have used these various telescopes to refine the orbits of more than 15 asteroids and comets. We have also confirmed the resulting reduction in orbit-model uncertainties using Monte Carlo simulations and orbit visualizations, using Find_Orb and OrbitMaster software, respectively.Before any observatory site can be used for official orbit refinement projects, it must first become a trusted source of astrometry data for the MPC. We have therefore obtained Observatory Codes not only for our own WestRock Observatory (W22), but also for 3 Skynet telescopes that we may use in the future: Dark Sky Observatory in Boone, North Carolina (W38) Hume Observatory in Santa Rosa, California (U54) and Athabasca University Geophysical Observatory in Athabasca, Alberta, Canada (U96).

Multifrequency analysis of a decametric storm observed at Voyager 1 and ground-based observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maeda, K.; Carr, T. D.

1989-01-01

Observations of a Jovian decametric non-Io-A noise storm made from Voyager 1, the University of Florida Radio Observatory, the University of Texas Radio Astronomy Observatory, and the Jupiter station at Goddard Space Flight Center at frequencies of 26.3, 22.2, 20.0, and 18.0 MHz were found to be correlated. The activity observed at the ground stations occurred 68 min after the corresponding activity at Voyager 1. After correction is made for propagation time differences, this delay is reduced to 34 min. It is demonstrated that at each frequency the envelope of the individual-event beams occurring during the storm (some or all of which are associated with dynamic spectral arcs) is a quasi-constant structure that corotates with the inner Jovian magnetosphere, and that the width of this envelope beam is frequency dependent. The width increases as frequency is decreased, mainly because of the change in position of the trailing-edge beam boundary. Evidence for a relatively slow temporal change in beam geometry is also presented.

Obituary: Richard D. Schwartz (1941-2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilking, Bruce

2011-12-01

Richard D. Schwartz, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, died at his home in Sequim, WA, after a nearly 3 year battle against pancreatic cancer. Richard was born in Pretty Prairie, Kansas. He was active in sports and band and graduated in 1959. After completing a BS at Kansas State, and a Master's degree in Divinity at Union Seminary in NY, he further studied astrophysics, receiving his doctorate from University of Washington in 1973. When Dick arrived at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 1975, he was the only astronomer in the Department of Physics. He built the astronomy program and initiated the B.S. in physics with an astrophysics option that the majority of physics majors choose. Dick was a wonderful teacher and provided outstanding leadership to the campus. He designed and provided oversight on the construction of the campus observatory that was completed in 1981. Since that time the observatory has served as both a teaching and research facility. It is also used for monthly public open houses that draw hundreds of people annually to the campus to view the moon, stars, and planets. Upon his retirement in 2003, the Board of Curators approved naming the campus observatory the "Richard D. Schwartz Observatory" in honor of his distinctive service to the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Just as important as Dick's service to promote public interest in astronomy was his effort to make the campus observatory a research facility. Dick equipped and maintained the observatory with state-of-art detectors that allowed students to get their first taste of scientific research. From 1991-2003, he managed the campus program for the NASA/Missouri Space Grant Consortium and mentored over 30 research students in projects at the observatory. Some of the results have been published in astronomical journals. Many of those students went on to graduate schools and several have achieved tenure and distinction at major universities. In addition to Dick's service to the University of Missouri-St. Louis, he compiled a distinguished record of research that gave him an international reputation as an astrophysicist. During his career, Dick pioneered a new research area studying the energetic mass loss in young stars, leading to hundreds of astronomers and physicists working in this area worldwide. He used a variety of unique telescopes to conduct his research including the Hubble Space Telescope. There have been over 2000 citations to his 80 scientific papers. From 1979-1998, he had continuous funding from NASA and the National Science Foundation and in 1999 he received the Chancellor's Award for Research and Creativity for his distinguished research record.. Dick retired in 2003 after 28 years at UMSL. However, he kept active in research, using the Galaxy View Observatory that he constructed adjacent to his home in Sequim, Washington. Characteristic of his broad scientific interests, this year the Geological Society of America Today will publish Dick's commentary on the scientific basis of anthropogenic global warming. He brought a deep compassion to local activities to raise awareness of climate change, offering thoughtful comments in local newspapers that reflected his rare combination of degrees in astrophysics and divinity. Dick is survived by his wife of 23 years, Eleanor McIntyre, 6 step-children, 14 grandchildren, 2 brothers, 2 nieces, and their families.

KSC-99pp0715

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-21

The STS-93 crew pose for photographers and the media after arriving at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility to participate in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Tests (TCDT) this week. From left are Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, Commander Eileen M. Collins at the microphone, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. Tognini represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). TCDT activities familiarize the crew with the mission, provide training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe

KSC-99pp0711

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-21

STS-93 Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) grins on her arrival at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet to participate in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Tests (TCDT) this week. TCDT activities familiarize the crew with the mission, provide training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Joining Coleman are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, who is with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe

KSC-99pp0710

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-21

STS-93 Commander Eileen M. Collins smiles on her arrival at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet aircraft to participate in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Tests (TCDT) this week. TCDT activities familiarize the crew with the mission, provide training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Joining Collins are Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe

KSC-99pp0713

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-21

STS-93 Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) grins as he steps down from a T-38 jet aircraft after landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. The STS-93 crew are at KSC to participate in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Tests (TCDT) this week. TCDT activities familiarize the crew with the mission, provide training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Joining Hawley are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe

STS-93 crew practices emergency egress training from Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

The STS-93 crew pose in front of an M-113, an armored personnel carrier, before emergency egress training from the launch pad. From left are Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, Commander Eileen M. Collins and Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman. Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. Tognini represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). TCDT activities familiarize the crew with the mission, provide training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. The primary mission of STS- 93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X- ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe.

The Origins Space Telescope (OST)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staguhn, Johannes

2018-01-01

The Origins Space Telescope is the mission concept for the Far-Infrared Surveyor, one of the four science and technology definition studies to be submitted by NASA Headquarters to the 2020 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal survey. The observatory will provide orders of magnitude improvements in sensitivity over prior missions, in particular for spectroscopy, enabling breakthrough science across astrophysics. The observatory will cover a wavelength range between 5 μm and 600 μm in order to enable the study of the formation of proto-planetary disks, detection of bio-signatures from extra-solar planet's atmospheres, characterization of the first galaxies in the universe, and many more. The five instruments that are currently studied are two imaging far-infrared spectrometers using incoherent detectors, providing up to R 10^5 spectral resolution, one far-infrared infrared heterodyne instrument for even higher spectral resolving powers, one far-infrared continuum imager and polarimeter, plus a mid-infrared coronagraph with imaging and spectroscopy mode. I will describe the scientific and technical capabilities of the observatory with focus on the expected synergies with AtLAST.

KSC-99pc0190

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-09

Before leaving KSC, STS-93 Commander Eileen M. Collins poses by a T-38 jet trainer aircraft at the Shuttle Landing Facility. She and the rest of the STS-93 crew spent two days visiting mission-related sites, including the Vertical Processing Facility where the Chandra X-ray Observatory is undergoing testing. STS-93 is scheduled to launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia and has the primary mission of the deployment of the observatory. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Collins is the first woman to serve as commander of a Space Shuttle. Other STS-93 crew members are Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Catherine G. Coleman, Steven A. Hawley, and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)

Beyond Einstein: From the Big Bang to Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, N.

Beyond Einstein is a science-driven program of missions, education and outreach, and technology, to address three questions: What powered the Big Bang? What happens to space, time, and matter at the edge of a Black Hole? What is the mysterious Dark Energy pulling the universe apart? To address the science objectives, Beyond Einstein contains several interlinked elements. The strategic missions Constellation-X and LISA primarily investigate the nature of black holes. Constellation-X is a spectroscopic observatory that uses X-ray emitting atoms as clocks to follow the fate of matter falling into black holes. LISA will be the first space-based gravitational wave observatory uses gravitational waves to measure the dynamic structure of space and time around black holes. Moderate sized probes that are fully competed, peer-reviewed missions (300M-450M) launched every 3-5 years to address the focussed science goals: 1) Determine the nature of the Dark Energy that dominates the universe, 2) Search for the signature of the beginning of the Big Bang in the microwave background and 3) Take a census of Black Holes of all sizes and ages in the universe. The final element is a Technology Program to enable ultimate Vision Missions (after 2015) to directly detect gravitational waves echoing from the beginning of the Big Bang, and to directly image matter near the event horizon of a Black Hole. An associated Education and Public Outreach Program will inspire the next generation of scientists, and support national science standards and benchmarks.

The Extreme Universe Space Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Jim; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This talk will describe the Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) mission. EUSO is an ESA mission to explore the most powerful energy sources in the universe. The mission objectives of EUSO are to investigate EECRs, those with energies above 3x10(exp 19) eV, and very high-energy cosmic neutrinos. These objectives are directly related to extreme conditions in the physical world and possibly involve the early history of the big bang and the framework of GUTs. EUSO tackles the basic problem posed by the existence of these extreme-energy events. The solution could have a unique impact on fundamental physics, cosmology, and/or astrophysics. At these energies, magnetic deflection is thought to be so small that the EECR component would serve as the particle channel for astronomy. EUSO will make the first measurements of EAS from space by observing atmospheric fluorescence in the Earth's night sky. With measurements of the airshower track, EUSO will determine the energy and arrival direction of these extreme-energy events. EUSO will make high statistics observations of CRs beyond the predicted GZK cutoff energy and widen the channel for high-energy neutrino astronomy. The energy spectra, arrival directions, and shower profiles will be analyzed to distinguish the nature of these events and search for their sources. With EUSO data, we will have the possibility to discover a local EECR source, test Z-burst scenarios and other theories, and look for evidence of the breakdown of the relativity principle at extreme Lorentz factors.

KSC-99pp0626

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-04

STS-93 Mission Specialists Catherine Coleman (left) and Michel Tognini of France (right), representing the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), look over material on the mission payload behind them, the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Chandra is being mated with the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) before testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and to check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0627

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-04

STS-93 Mission Specialists Catherine Coleman (left) and Michel Tognini of France (right), who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), look over the controls for the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Chandra is being mated with the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) before testing to validate the IUS/Chandra connections and to check the orbiter avionics interfaces. Following that, an end-to-end test (ETE) will be conducted to verify the communications path to Chandra, commanding it as if it were in space. With the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 22 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

Optimising the multiplex factor of the frequency domain multiplexed readout of the TES-based microcalorimeter imaging array for the X-IFU instrument on the Athena x-ray observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Kuur, J.; Gottardi, L. G.; Akamatsu, H.; van Leeuwen, B. J.; den Hartog, R.; Haas, D.; Kiviranta, M.; Jackson, B. J.

2016-07-01

Athena is a space-based X-ray observatory intended for exploration of the hot and energetic universe. One of the science instruments on Athena will be the X-ray Integrated Field Unit (X-IFU), which is a cryogenic X-ray spectrometer, based on a large cryogenic imaging array of Transition Edge Sensors (TES) based microcalorimeters operating at a temperature of 100mK. The imaging array consists of 3800 pixels providing 2.5 eV spectral resolution, and covers a field of view with a diameter of of 5 arc minutes. Multiplexed readout of the cryogenic microcalorimeter array is essential to comply with the cooling power and complexity constraints on a space craft. Frequency domain multiplexing has been under development for the readout of TES-based detectors for this purpose, not only for the X-IFU detector arrays but also for TES-based bolometer arrays for the Safari instrument of the Japanese SPICA observatory. This paper discusses the design considerations which are applicable to optimise the multiplex factor within the boundary conditions as set by the space craft. More specifically, the interplay between the science requirements such as pixel dynamic range, pixel speed, and cross talk, and the space craft requirements such as the power dissipation budget, available bandwidth, and electromagnetic compatibility will be discussed.

Status And Performance Of The Virgin Islands Robotic Telescope at Etelman Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, David C.; Gendre, Bruce; Neff, James E.; Giblin, Timothy W.

2016-01-01

The Virgin Islands Robotic Telescope is an 0.5m robotic telescope located at the easternmost and southernmost optical observatory in the United States at a latitude of 18.5N and longitude of 65W. The observatory is located on the island of St Thomas in the USVI. Astronomers from the College of Charleston, the US Air Force Academy, and the University of the Virgin Islands collaborate to maintain and operate the facility. The primary scientific focus of the facility is the optical follow-up of high-energy transients though a variety of other science interests are also being pursued including follow-up of candidate extra-solar planets, rotation studies of cool stars, and near-Earth asteroid and space situational awareness studies. The facility also supports a wide-reaching education and outreach program dedicated to raising the level of STEAM engagement and enrichment in the USVI. We detail the characteristics, capabilities, and early results from the observatory. The observatory is growing its staff and science activities and potential topics for collaboration will be discussed.

Multiwavelength Observations of the Hot DB Star PG 0112+104

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dufour, P.; Desharnais, S.; Wesemael, F.; Chayer, P.; Lanz, T.; Bergeron, P.; Fontaine, G.; Beauchamp, A.; Saffer, R. A.; Kruk, J. W.; Limoges, M.-M.

2010-08-01

We present a comprehensive multiwavelength analysis of the hot DB white dwarf PG 0112+104. Our analysis relies on newly acquired FUSE observations, on medium-resolution FOS and GHRS data, on archival high-resolution GHRS observations, on optical spectrophotometry both in the blue and around Hα, as well as on time-resolved photometry. From the optical data, we derive a self-consistent effective temperature of 31,300 ± 500 K, a surface gravity of log g = 7.8 ± 0.1 (M = 0.52 M sun), and a hydrogen abundance of log N(H)/N(He)< -4.0. The FUSE spectra reveal the presence of C II and C III lines that complement the previous detection of C II transitions with the GHRS. The improved carbon abundance in this hot object is log N(C)/N(He) = -6.15 ± 0.23. No photospheric features associated with other heavy elements are detected. We reconsider the role of PG 0112+104 in the definition of the blue edge of the V777 Her instability strip in light of our high-speed photometry and contrast our results with those of previous observations carried out at the McDonald Observatory. Based on observations with the FUSE satellite, which is operated by the Johns Hopkins University under NASA contract NAS 5-32985; with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under the NASA contract NAS 5-26555; and with the Kitt Peak National Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.

KSC-08pd0951

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA's Kennedy Space Center, General Dynamics technicians, sitting beneath the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, position a high-gain antenna under the spacecraft before it is installed. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is currently planned in a window between 11:45 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. EDT May 16. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0948

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA's Kennedy Space Center, General Dynamics technicians prepare the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, for the installation of its high-gain antenna. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is currently planned in a window between 11:45 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. EDT May 16. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0432

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II second stage for GLAST has arrived at Hangar M and is moved into place for weighing. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0950

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA's Kennedy Space Center, General Dynamics technicians put the finishing touches on a high-gain antenna that will be installed on the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is currently planned in a window between 11:45 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. EDT May 16. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0168

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers in Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida open the truck trailer to offload the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-08pd0949

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA's Kennedy Space Center, General Dynamics technicians prepare a high-gain antenna for installation on the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is currently planned in a window between 11:45 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. EDT May 16. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Possible Space-Based Gravitational-Wave Observatory Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livas, Jeffrey C.

2015-01-01

The existence of gravitational waves was established by the discovery of the Binary Pulsar PSR 1913+16 by Hulse and Taylor in 1974, for which they were awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize. However, it is the exploitation of these gravitational waves for the extraction of the astrophysical parameters of the sources that will open the first new astronomical window since the development of gamma ray telescopes in the 1970's and enable a new era of discovery and understanding of the Universe. Direct detection is expected in at least two frequency bands from the ground before the end of the decade with Advanced LIGO and Pulsar Timing Arrays. However, many of the most exciting sources will be continuously observable in the band from 0.1-100 mHz, accessible only from space due to seismic noise and gravity gradients in that band that disturb groundbased observatories. This talk will discuss a possible mission concept developed from the original Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) reference mission but updated to reduce risk and cost.

KSC-99pp0290

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-09

In the KSC Life Sciences Building, Hangar L, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Mark Rupert, with BioServe Space Technologies, checks the canisters, or incubators, that will hold an experiment to fly on mission STS-93. The incubators will hold a mix of fruit fly embryos and larvae to examine the effects of microgravity and space flight on the development of neural connections between specific motor neurons and their targets in muscle fibers. The incubators are part of a Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), which can start bioprocessing reactions by mixing or heating a sample and can also initiate multiple-step, sequential reactions in a technique called phased processing. The primary payload of mission STS-93 is the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. The target launch date for STS-93 is July 9, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pp0291

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-09

In the KSC Life Sciences Building, Hangar L, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Jake Freeman and Mark Rupert, with BioServe Space Technologies, check canisters, or incubators, that will hold fruit fly embryos and larvae for an experiment to fly on mission STS-93. The experiment will examine the effects of microgravity and space flight on the development of neural connections between specific motor neurons and their targets in muscle fibers. The incubators are part of the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), which can start bioprocessing reactions by mixing or heating a sample and can also initiate multiple-step, sequential reactions in a technique called phased processing. The primary payload of mission STS-93 is the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. The target launch date for STS-93 is July 9, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pc0177

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-09

Members of the STS-93 crew look over the Space Shuttle Columbia's main engine in the Space Shuttle Main Engine Facility as they listen to Al Strainer, with United Space Alliance. From left, the crew members are Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley, and Commander Eileen Collins. At the far right is Matt Gaetjens, with the Vehicle Integration Test Team. The fifth crew member (not shown) is Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman. STS-93, scheduled to launch July 9, has the primary mission of the deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

National Medal of Science

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-11-20

President Barack Obama congratulates MESSENGER Principal Investigator, director of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Sean Solomon, after awarding him the National Medal of Science, the nation's top scientific honor,Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington. MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) is a NASA-sponsored scientific investigation of the planet Mercury and the first space mission designed to orbit the planet closest to the Sun. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)

NASA Image and Video Library

1979-01-01

This image is an observation of Quasar 3C 273 by the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-2/Einstein Observatory. It reveals the presence of a new source (upper left) with a red shift that indicates that it is about 10 billion light years away. Quasars are mysterious, bright, star-like objects apparently located at the very edge of the visible universe. Although no bigger than our solar system, they radiate as much visible light as a thousand galaxies. Quasars also emit radio signals and were previously recognized as x-ray sources. The HEAO-2, the first imaging and largest x-ray telescope built to date, was capable of producing actual photographs of x-ray objects. Shortly after launch, the HEAO-2 was nicknamed the Einstein Observatory by its scientific experimenters in honor of the centernial of the birth of Albert Einstein, whose concepts of relativity and gravitation have influenced much of modern astrophysics, particularly x-ray astronomy. The HEAO-2 was designed and developed by TRW, Inc. under the project management of the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (sofia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becklin, E. E.

1997-08-01

The joint US and German SOFIA project to develop and operate a 2.5 meter infrared airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP began earlier this year. Universities Space Research Association (USRA), teamed with Raytheon E systems and United Airlines, was selected by NASA to develop and operate SOFIA. The 2.5 meter telescope will be designed and built by a consortium of German companies lead by MAN-GHH. Work on the aircraft and the primary mirror has started. First science flights will begin in 2001, and the observatory is expected to operate for over 20 years. The specifications, instruments and science potential of SOFIA are discussed.

KSC-99pp0350

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

In the Vertical Processing Facility, TRW technicians get ready to attach and deploy a solar panel array on the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which is sitting on a workstand. The panel is to the right. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

KSC-99pp0353

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

In the Vertical Processing Facility, a TRW technician checks the attachment of the solar panel array (out of sight to the right) to the Chandra X-ray Observatory, at left. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

The Chandra X-ray Observatory removed from its container in the Vertical Processing Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), the overhead crane lifts Chandra X-ray Observatory completely out of its protective container. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory removed from its container in the Vertical Processing Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), workers begin lifting the Chandra X-ray Observatory out of its protective container. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

KSC-08pd0996

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft for star tracker sun shade installation. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

KSC-08pd1032

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians install insulation blankets around the star tracker sunshades on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1006

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a worker adjusts the star tracker sun shade installed on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1005

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers install another of the star tracker sun shades on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1031

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians install insulation blankets around the star tracker sunshades on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1001

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers install one of the star tracker sun shades on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1003

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a worker adjusts the star tracker sun shades installed on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0997

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a worker cleans around the area where star tracker sun shades will be installed on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0998

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the star tracker sun shades are waiting to be installed on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0994

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft for star tracker sun shade installation. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

KSC-08pd1033

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians install insulation blankets around the star tracker sunshades on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1000

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers install one of the star tracker sun shades on NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1137

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft is moved out of the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. It is being transported to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1123

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

The Chemical Evolution of Phosphorus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobson, Heather R.; Thanathibodee, Thanawuth; Frebel, Anna; Roederer, Ian U.; Cescutti, Gabriele; Matteucci, Francesca

2014-12-01

Phosphorus is one of the few remaining light elements for which little is known about its nucleosynthetic origin and chemical evolution, given the lack of optical absorption lines in the spectra of long-lived FGK-type stars. We have identified a P I doublet in the near-ultraviolet (2135/2136 Å) that is measurable in stars of low metallicity. Using archival Hubble Space Telescope-Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph spectra, we have measured P abundances in 13 stars spanning -3.3 <= [Fe/H] <= -0.2, and obtained an upper limit for a star with [Fe/H] ~ -3.8. Combined with the only other sample of P abundances in solar-type stars in the literature, which spans a range of -1 <= [Fe/H] <= +0.2, we compare the stellar data to chemical evolution models. Our results support previous indications that massive-star P yields may need to be increased by a factor of a few to match stellar data at all metallicities. Our results also show that hypernovae were important contributors to the P production in the early universe. As P is one of the key building blocks of life, we also discuss the chemical evolution of the important elements to life, C-N-O-P-S, together. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. This work is supported through program AR-13246. Other portions of this work are based on data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile, and the McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas at Austin.

Investigations Some Impact Space Debris and Working Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vovchyk, Yeva

Combining the coordinate with the photometric date of the artificial satellite the information of its behavior on the orbit, its orientation, form and optical characteristics of the object’s surface could be determined. The successful solution of this task could be received only on the base of complex observations. It means that one must have coordinate and photometric observations from some (at least two) stations and the observations must be done synchronous. Photometric observations enable to record the reflection of the Sunlight from the separate fragments of the object’s surface. The periodic splashes give the information of the own rotation and the precession of the object. But from the light curve of the object to the information of its rotations is a long way of mathematics analysis with the supplement of the information from the other type observations. As the example the way of received the information of the behavior of the two satellites -- “EgyptSat” in the June-August 2010 after its collision on the orbit with unknown space debris and Russian station “Fobos-grunt” in the November 2011 during the unsuccessfully launching, inoperative spacecraft Envisat is shown. In the paper the initial observations and mathematical process of the solution of this task would be given. These investigations were made by the team "Astronoms from Ukraine" -- Ja. Blagodyr, A.Bilinsky, Ye.Vovchyk,K.Martyniyuk-Lotocky from Astronomical Observatory of Ivan Franko National University, Lviv; V.Yepishev, V.Kudak, I.Motrunych,I.Najbaer from Laboratory of the Space Investigations, National University of Uzgorod; N.Koshkin,L. Shakun from Astronomical Observatory of National University of Odessa; V.Lopachenko,V.Rykhalsky from National Centre of Direction and Testing of the Space System, Yevpatoriya.

Delta II SIRTF Liftoff

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-25

NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) lifts off from Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, on Aug. 25 at 1:35:39 a.m. EDT. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

KSC-08pd0615

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, the shipping container covering NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lifted. Workers will prepare for a complete checkout of the telescope's scientific instruments. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0611

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is removed from the truck at the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center to begin prelaunch activities. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0612

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is removed from the truck at the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center to begin prelaunch activities. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Summary of NASA Advanced Telescope and Observatory Capability Roadmap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Phil; Feinberg, Lee

2006-01-01

The NASA Advanced Telescope and Observatory (ATO) Capability Roadmap addresses technologies necessary for NASA to enable future space telescopes and observatories operating in all electromagnetic bands, from x-rays to millimeter waves, and including gravity-waves. It lists capability priorities derived from current and developing Space Missions Directorate (SMD) strategic roadmaps. Technology topics include optics; wavefront sensing and control and interferometry; distributed and advanced spacecraft systems; cryogenic and thermal control systems; large precision structure for observatories; and the infrastructure essential to future space telescopes and observatories.

Summary of NASA Advanced Telescope and Observatory Capability Roadmap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Philip; Feinberg, Lee

2007-01-01

The NASA Advanced Telescope and Observatory (ATO) Capability Roadmap addresses technologies necessary for NASA to enable future space telescopes and observatories operating in all electromagnetic bands, from x-rays to millimeter waves, and including gravity-waves. It lists capability priorities derived from current and developing Space Missions Directorate (SMD) strategic roadmaps. Technology topics include optics; wavefront sensing and control and interferometry; distributed and advanced spacecraft systems; cryogenic and thermal control systems; large precision structure for observatories; and the infrastructure essential to future space telescopes and observatories.

Variations of the Blazar AO 0235+164 in 2006-2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagen-Thorn, V. A.; Larionov, V. M.; Morozova, D. A.; Arkharov, A. A.; Hagen-Thorn, E. I.; Shablovinskaya, E. S.; Prokop'eva, M. S.; Yakovleva, V. A.

2018-02-01

The results of optical, radio, and gamma-ray observations of the blazar AO 0235+16 are presented, including photometric ( BV RIJHK) and polarimetric ( R)monitoring carried out at St. Petersburg State University and the Central (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory in 2007-2015, 43 GHz Very Long Baseline Interferometry radio observations processed at Boston University, and a gamma-ray light curve based on observationswith the Fermi space observatory are presented. Two strong outbursts were detected. The relative spectral energy distributions of the variable components responsible for the outbursts are determined; these follow power laws, but with different spectral indices. The degree of polarization was high in both outbursts; only an average relationship between the brightness and polarization can be found. There was no time lag between the variations in the optical and gamma-ray, suggesting that the sources of the radiation in the optical and gamma-ray are located in the same region of the jet.

Teaching astronomy and astrophysics at the Valencian International University (VIU): Application and use of Virtual Observatory tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diago, P. D.; Gutiérrez-Soto, J.; Ruiz, J. E.; Solano, E.

2013-05-01

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Master, running at the Valencian International University (VIU, http://www.viu.es) since march 2010, is a clear example of how development of infor- mation and communication technologies (ICTs) and new e-learning methods are changing the traditional distance learning. In the context of the European Space for Higher Edu- cation (ESHE) we present how the Virtual Observatory (VO) tools can be an important part in the Astronomy and Astrophysics teaching. The described tasks has been carried out during the last three courses. These tasks are representative of the state of the art in Astrophysics research. We attach a description and a learning results list of each one of the presented tasks. The tasks can be downloaded at the Spanish VO website: http://svo.cab.inta-csic.es/docs/index.php?pagename=Education/VOcases

James Gregory, the University observatory and the early acquisition of scientific instruments at the University of St Andrews

PubMed Central

Rawson, Helen C.

2015-01-01

James Gregory, inventor of the reflecting telescope and Fellow of the Royal Society, was the first Regius Professor of Mathematics of the University of St Andrews, 1668–74. He attempted to establish in St Andrews what would, if completed, have been the first purpose-built observatory in the British Isles. He travelled to London in 1673 to purchase instruments for equipping the observatory and improving the teaching and study of natural philosophy and mathematics in the university, seeking the advice of John Flamsteed, later the first Astronomer Royal. This paper considers the observatory initiative and the early acquisition of instruments at the University of St Andrews, with reference to Gregory's correspondence, inventories made ca. 1699–ca. 1718 and extant instruments themselves, some of which predate Gregory's time. It examines the structure and fate of the university observatory, the legacy of Gregory's teaching and endeavours, and the meridian line laid down in 1748 in the University Library.

Automation of Coordinated Planning Between Observatories: The Visual Observation Layout Tool (VOLT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maks, Lori; Koratkar, Anuradha; Kerbel, Uri; Pell, Vince

2002-01-01

Fulfilling the promise of the era of great observatories, NASA now has more than three space-based astronomical telescopes operating in different wavebands. This situation provides astronomers with the unique opportunity of simultaneously observing a target in multiple wavebands with these observatories. Currently scheduling multiple observatories simultaneously, for coordinated observations, is highly inefficient. Coordinated observations require painstaking manual collaboration among the observatory staff at each observatory. Because they are time-consuming and expensive to schedule, observatories often limit the number of coordinated observations that can be conducted. In order to exploit new paradigms for observatory operation, the Advanced Architectures and Automation Branch of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has developed a tool called the Visual Observation Layout Tool (VOLT). The main objective of VOLT is to provide a visual tool to automate the planning of coordinated observations by multiple astronomical observatories. Four of NASA's space-based astronomical observatories - the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and Chandra - are enthusiastically pursuing the use of VOLT. This paper will focus on the purpose for developing VOLT, as well as the lessons learned during the infusion of VOLT into the planning and scheduling operations of these observatories.

The many transformations of the University of Illinois Observatory Annex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svec, Michael

2018-04-01

The University of Illinois Observatory acquired a second-hand 30-inch Brashear reflector in 1912 with the intent of dedicating it to photoelectric photometry. A small observatory annex was built adjacent to the main observatory. This smaller observatory and its telescope underwent multiple transitions and instrument changes over the next 70 years, reflecting the research interests of Joel Stebbins and Robert H. Baker. The story of this observatory telescope illustrates changes in astronomical instrumentation and research over the course of the twentieth century.

Hubble Space Telescope - Scientific, Technological and Social Contributions to the Public Discourse on Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiseman, Jennifer

2012-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope has unified the world with a sense of awe and wonder for 2 I years and is currently more scientifically powerful than ever. I will present highlights of discoveries made with the Hubble Space Telescope, including details of planetary weather, star formation, extra-solar planets, colliding galaxies, and a universe expanding with the acceleration of dark energy. I will also present the unique technical challenges and triumphs of this phenomenal observatory, and discuss how our discoveries in the cosmos affect our sense of human unity, significance, and wonder.

Space Interferometry Mission: Measuring the Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marr, James; Dallas, Saterios; Laskin, Robert; Unwin, Stephen; Yu, Jeffrey

1991-01-01

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will be the NASA Origins Program's first space based long baseline interferometric observatory. SIM will use a 10 m Michelson stellar interferometer to provide 4 microarcsecond precision absolute position measurements of stars down to 20th magnitude over its 5 yr. mission lifetime. SIM will also provide technology demonstrations of synthesis imaging and interferometric nulling. This paper describes the what, why and how of the SIM mission, including an overall mission and system description, science objectives, general description of how SIM makes its measurements, description of the design concepts now under consideration, operations concept, and supporting technology program.

Research in space physics at the University of Iowa. [astronomical observatories, spaceborne astronomy, satellite observation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanallen, J. A.

1974-01-01

Various research projects in space physics are summarized. Emphasis is placed on: (1) the study of energetic particles in outer space and their relationships to electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields associated with the earth, the sun, the moon, the planets, and interplanetary medium; (2) observational work on satellites of the earth and the moon, and planetary and interplanetary spacecraft; (3) phenomenological analysis and interpretation; (4) observational work by ground based radio-astronomical and optical techniques; and (5) theoretical problems in plasma physics. Specific fields of current investigations are summarized.

KSC-08pd0764

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians guide one of twin solar arrays toward NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-08pd0762

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician studies one of twin solar arrays that will be installed on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-08pd0761

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians prepare to install the twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-08pd0770

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians install the second of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-08pd0763

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians lift one of twin solar arrays that will be installed on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-08pd0769

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians move the second of twin solar arrays toward NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-08pd0766

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians install one of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

International Heliophysical Year and Astronomy and Space Science Activities in Arab States: Concentration on United Arab Emirates and Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Naimiy, Hamid M. K.; Al-Douri, Ala A. J.

2008-12-01

This paper summarizes International Heliophysical Year (IHY), astronomy and space sciences (ASS) activities in many Arab countries with the concentration on Iraq and UAE. The level and type of these activities differ in each country. -The paper shows also the current activities on topics related to IHY in different countries, following are suggested future Astronomy and Space Science (ASS) plans in some of these countries: -UAE Research Centre for Solar Physics, Astronomy and Space Sciences: A proposal under consideration for building a Solar Physics and Space Research Centre that may contain: Solar, radio and optical observatories, and Very Low Frequency (VLF) Receiver for remote sensing the Ionosphere on UAE region. The proposed research project will facilitate the establishment and conduct of VLF observations in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) as a part of Asia sector, thus providing a basis for comparison to facilitate global extrapolations and conclusions. -Iraqi National Astronomical Observatory (INAO): The Kurdistan Government/Universities planning to rebuilt INAO which has been destroyed during the two wars. Proposed suggestion is to build a 5-6 meters optical telescope and small solar telescope on the tope of Korek Mountain, which has excellent observing conditions.

Nex-Gen Space Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-26

NASA, space science industry and government officials are seen in front of a full-size model of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011. From left, back row are: Dr. John Grunsfeld, former astronaut and Deputy Director, Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), Baltimore; Jeffrey Grant, VP and General Manager of the Space Systems Division, Northrop Grumman; Van Reiner, President and CEO of the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore and Adam Reiss, recipient of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics and professor of astronomy and physics at Johns Hopkins University. In the front row are NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, left, and U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.). Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

KSC-99pc0165

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-06

Cradled in the cargo hold of a tractor-trailer rig called the Space Cargo Transportation System, the Chandra X-ray Observatory reaches the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF). Chandra arrived at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Thursday, Feb. 4, aboard an Air Force C-5 Galaxy aircraft. In the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

KSC-99pc0166

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-06

Cradled in the cargo hold of a tractor-trailer rig called the Space Cargo Transportation System, the Chandra X-ray Observatory waits to be moved inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF). Chandra arrived at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Thursday, Feb. 4, aboard an Air Force C-5 Galaxy aircraft. In the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

The GLAST Burst Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meegan, Charles A.

2004-01-01

The Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) observatory, scheduled for launch in 2007, comprises the Large Area Telescope (LAT) and the GLAST Burst Monitor (GBM). spectral changes that are known to occur within GRBs. between the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. It consists of an array of NaI and BGO scintillation detectors operating in the 10 kev to 25 MeV range. The field of view includes the entire unocculted sky when the observatory is pointing close to the zenith. The GBM will enhance LAT observations of GRBs by extending the spectral coverage into the range of current GRB databases, and will provide a trigger for reorienting the spacecraft to observe delayed emission from bursts outside the LAT field of view. GBM is expected to trigger on about 200 bursts per year, and will provide on-board locations of strong bursts accurate to better than 10 degrees.

Scientific and Technical Development of the Next Generation Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burg, Richard

2003-01-01

The Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) is part of the Origins program and is the key mission to discover the origins of galaxies in the Universe. It is essential that scientific requirements be translated into technical specifications at the beginning of the program and that there is technical participation by astronomers in the design and modeling of the observatory. During the active time period of this grant, the PI participated in the NGST program at GSFC by participating in the development of the Design Reference Mission, the development of the full end-to-end model of the observatory, the design trade-off based on the modeling, the Science Instrument Module definition and modeling, the study of proto-mission and test-bed development, and by participating in meetings including quarterly reviews and support of the NGST SWG. This work was documented in a series of NGST Monographs that are available on the NGST web site.

Orbit Determination and Navigation of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mesarch, Michael A.; Robertson, Mika; Ottenstein, Neil; Nicholson, Ann; Nicholson, Mark; Ward, Douglas T.; Cosgrove, Jennifer; German, Darla; Hendry, Stephen; Shaw, James

2007-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the required upgrades necessary for navigation of NASA's twin heliocentric science missions, Solar TErestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) Ahead and Behind. The orbit determination of the STEREO spacecraft was provided by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF) in support of the mission operations activities performed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). The changes to FDF's orbit determination software included modeling upgrades as well as modifications required to process the Deep Space Network X-band tracking data used for STEREO. Orbit results as well as comparisons to independently computed solutions are also included. The successful orbit determination support aided in maneuvering the STEREO spacecraft, launched on October 26, 2006 (00:52 Z), to target the lunar gravity assists required to place the spacecraft into their final heliocentric drift-away orbits where they are providing stereo imaging of the Sun.

Orbit Determination and Navigation of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mesarch, Michael; Robertson, Mika; Ottenstein, Neil; Nicholson, Ann; Nicholson, Mark; Ward, Douglas T.; Cosgrove, Jennifer; German, Darla; Hendry, Stephen; Shaw, James

2007-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the required upgrades necessary for navigation of NASA's twin heliocentric science missions, Solar TErestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) Ahead and Behind. The orbit determination of the STEREO spacecraft was provided by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Flight Dynamics Facility (FDF) in support of the mission operations activities performed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). The changes to FDF s orbit determination software included modeling upgrades as well as modifications required to process the Deep Space Network X-band tracking data used for STEREO. Orbit results as well as comparisons to independently computed solutions are also included. The successful orbit determination support aided in maneuvering the STEREO spacecraft, launched on October 26, 2006 (00:52 Z), to target the lunar gravity assists required to place the spacecraft into their final heliocentric drift-away orbits where they are providing stereo imaging of the Sun.

An experiment to fly on mission STS-93 is prepared at Life Sciences Building, CCAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

In the KSC Life Sciences Building, Hangar L, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Dr. Haig Keshishian checks fruit fly larvae in a petri dish. The larvae are part of an experiment that is a secondary payload on mission STS-93. The experiment will examine the effects of microgravity and space flight on the development of neural connections between specific motor neurons and their targets in muscle fibers. Dr. Keshishian, from Yale University, is the principle investigator for the experiment. The larvae will be contained in incubators that are part of a Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), which can start bioprocessing reactions by mixing or heating a sample and can also initiate multiple-step, sequential reactions in a technique called phased processing. The primary payload of mission STS-93 is the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high- temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. The target launch date for STS-93 is July 9, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, from Launch Pad 39B.

The Newly-named "Herschel Space Observatory" revisits its science goals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-12-01

In science, new answers often trigger new questions. And in astronomy, new questions often mean new instruments. The ESA 'Herschel Space Observatory', formerly called 'Far Infrared and Submillimetre Telescope' (FIRST), is the instrument that inherits many of the questions triggered by its predecessor, ESA's Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). 200 astronomers from all over the world met last week in Toledo, Spain, to discuss how to insert these new questions in Herschel's 'scientific agenda'. Thus, Herschel will study the origin of stars and galaxies -its main goals-, but it will also keep on searching for water in space -as ISO did-, and will help us to understand the formation of our own Solar System through detailed observations of comets and of the poorly known 'transneptunian objects'. A new name for 'FIRST' The new name for FIRST, 'Herschel Space Observatory', or 'Herschel', was announced at the opening of the Toledo conference by ESA's Director of Science, Roger Bonnet. William Herschel was an Anglo-German astronomer who discovered infrared light in 1800. Thanks to his discovery, astronomers can now observe a facet of the Universe that remains hidden to other telescopes. ESA's Herschel is the first space observatory covering a major part of the far-infrared and submillimetre waveband (from 57 to 670 microns) and its new name honours Herschel on the 200th anniversary of his discovery. Roger Bonnet explained: "It strikes me that we are at a key scientific conference devoted to the next ESA infrared space mission, gathering many 'infrared pioneers', 200 years after a famous musician and astronomer discovered that by placing a thermometer in the remote part of the solar spectrum, where apparently there was no light, he could detect heat. What we call now infrared radiation. This meeting marks two events: the beginning of a very promising utilisation of FIRST, and the adoption of a new name for the telescope: the Herschel Space Observatory". Roger Bonnet also confirmed the February 2007 launch date of Herschel, and had some words of encouragement for the Principal Investigators of Herschel's instruments: "There is still much hard work ahead. It will not be easy, but it will pay-off in the end" [t.b.a.], he said. ESA will select an industrial Prime Contractor for Herschel next spring. The detailed design of the spacecraft will begin in June, and about one and a half years later construction will start. As for the three instruments on board Herschel - a high-resolution spectrograph and two infrared cameras -, their construction phase will begin early next year. More than 40 institutions, mainly European, organized in three consortia, collaborate in their design and development. Primeval galaxies, molecules and comets Scientists gathered at Toledo, in light of the discoveries by ISO -which operated from November 1995 till May 1998-, revised the 'scientific agenda' for Herschel. "This is the kind of input we need", said Göran Pilbratt, Herschel Project Scientist. "We want to make sure that we use the precious observing time for the most profound problems". Herschel's wavelength coverage makes it the ideal instrument to decipher how the first stars and galaxies formed, topics that have always been set as Herschel's main goals and that are now hotter than ever thanks to the surveys by ISO and other ground-based infrared instruments. But other goals, not originally highlighted in Herschel's scientific objectives, were identified in Toledo. Ewine van Dishoeck (Leiden Universiy, the Netherlands), expert in space chemistry, stressed that "Herschel will continue the search for water in space, as initiated by ISO. It will give us an in-depth knowledge about how much water there is, its distribution and formation". Other compounds that can only be detected at the wavelengths covered by Herschel were also listed. "Herschel will provide us with a much better understanding of the chemistry of the Universe", said Van Dishoeck. Topics in the study of our own 'space neighbourhood' were also given high priority. As Solar System expert Thérèse Encrenaz (Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, France) explained, detailed observations of comets by Herschel will contribute to the reconstruction of the past history of the Solar System. Comets are made of material that has undergone very little processing, and therefore it might reflect the composition of the 'raw material' used to make the whole Solar System about 4.6 billion years ago. Solar System astronomers defined yet another goal: the study of the so-called 'transneptunian objects', poorly known asteroid-type bodies located beyond planet Neptune that form the 'Kuiper belt'. Only 300 of these possibly 10,000 bodies have been observed so far. Footnote on the Herschel Space Observatory ESA's Herschel Space Observatory, due to be launched in February 2007, will inaugurate a new generation of space 'giants'. With its 3.5 metre mirror, Herschel will be the largest telescope ever sent into space. It will be launched together with another ESA scientific mission, Planck, to study the origin and evolution of the Universe. Herschel and Planck will separate shortly after launch and will be operated independently from their orbits situated 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth.

Look to the Stars - The APUS Observatory: An Innovative Robotic Telescope for Online Astronomical Education and Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albin, Edward

2018-01-01

We report on the American Public University System’s new robotic telescope, located in Charles Town, WV -- an innovative observatory deployed in an online institution of higher education. The instrument is operated by the Department of Space Studies and is situated atop the university’s new Information Technology building. At the heart of the observatory is a Planewave CDK24 telescope, equipped with a SBIG STX-16803 CCD camera. The telescope is a key technological component in the Department's new undergraduate / graduate astronomy concentration. Since the university is a dedicated online educational institution, the acquisition of a fully remote controlled telescope ties closely into the program's philosophy of quality online instruction. Our robotic observatory is intimately integrated into our astronomy curriculum, with the telescope being utilized for original astronomical education and research purposes. For instance, not only is imagery used in the classroom and for laboratory instruction, graduate students in our MS degree program have an opportunity to collect original telescopic data for research / thesis projects. Examples of ongoing investigations with the telescope include observations of exoplanet transits and variable star photometry. When not in use for specific observing projects, the telescope is scripted to conduct autonomous supernova searches by patrolling dozens of galaxies throughout the night. Our goal is to have the instrument scheduled for continuous observing of the heavens throughout the year on all clear evenings.

NASA’s Universe of Learning: Providing a Direct Connection to NASA Science for Learners of all Ages with ViewSpace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawton, Brandon L.; Rhue, Timothy; Smith, Denise A.; Squires, Gordon K.; Biferno, Anya A.; Lestition, Kathleen; Cominsky, Lynn R.; Godfrey, John; Lee, Janice C.; Manning, Colleen

2018-06-01

NASA's Universe of Learning creates and delivers science-driven, audience-driven resources and experiences designed to engage and immerse learners of all ages and backgrounds in exploring the universe for themselves. The project is the result of a unique partnership between the Space Telescope Science Institute, Caltech/IPAC, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and Sonoma State University, and is one of 27 competitively-selected cooperative agreements within the NASA Science Mission Directorate STEM Activation program. The NASA's Universe of Learning team draws upon cutting-edge science and works closely with Subject Matter Experts (scientists and engineers) from across the NASA Astrophysics Physics of the Cosmos, Cosmic Origins, and Exoplanet Exploration themes. As one example, NASA’s Universe of Learning program is uniquely able to provide informal learning venues with a direct connection to the science of NASA astrophysics via the ViewSpace platform. ViewSpace is a modular multimedia exhibit where people explore the latest discoveries in our quest to understand the universe. Hours of awe-inspiring video content connect users’ lives with an understanding of our planet and the wonders of the universe. This experience is rooted in informal learning, astronomy, and earth science. Scientists and educators are intimately involved in the production of ViewSpace material. ViewSpace engages visitors of varying backgrounds and experience at museums, science centers, planetariums, and libraries across the United States. In addition to creating content, the Universe of Learning team is updating the ViewSpace platform to provide for additional functionality, including the introduction of digital interactives to make ViewSpace a multi-modal learning experience. During this presentation we will share the ViewSpace platform, explain how Subject Matter Experts are critical in creating content for ViewSpace, and how we are addressing audience needs and using evaluation to support a dedicated user base across the country.

James Webb Space Telescope Core 2 Test - Cryogenic Thermal Balance Test of the Observatorys Core Area Thermal Control Hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cleveland, Paul; Parrish, Keith; Thomson, Shaun; Marsh, James; Comber, Brian

2016-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, will be the largest astronomical telescope ever sent into space. To observe the very first light of the early universe, JWST requires a large deployed 6.5-meter primary mirror cryogenically cooled to less than 50 Kelvin. Three scientific instruments are further cooled via a large radiator system to less than 40 Kelvin. A fourth scientific instrument is cooled to less than 7 Kelvin using a combination pulse-tube Joule-Thomson mechanical cooler. Passive cryogenic cooling enables the large scale of the telescope which must be highly folded for launch on an Ariane 5 launch vehicle and deployed once on orbit during its journey to the second Earth-Sun Lagrange point. Passive cooling of the observatory is enabled by the deployment of a large tennis court sized five layer Sunshield combined with the use of a network of high efficiency radiators. A high purity aluminum heat strap system connects the three instrument's detector systems to the radiator systems to dissipate less than a single watt of parasitic and instrument dissipated heat. JWST's large scale features, while enabling passive cooling, also prevent the typical flight configuration fully-deployed thermal balance test that is the keystone of most space missions' thermal verification plans. This paper describes the JWST Core 2 Test, which is a cryogenic thermal balance test of a full size, high fidelity engineering model of the Observatory's 'Core' area thermal control hardware. The 'Core' area is the key mechanical and cryogenic interface area between all Observatory elements. The 'Core' area thermal control hardware allows for temperature transition of 300K to approximately 50 K by attenuating heat from the room temperature IEC (instrument electronics) and the Spacecraft Bus. Since the flight hardware is not available for test, the Core 2 test uses high fidelity and flight-like reproductions.

KSC-08pd0952

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA's Kennedy Space Center, General Dynamics technicians, sitting beneath the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, carefully position a high-gain antenna under the spacecraft as they prepare to install it on the spacecraft. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is currently planned in a window between 11:45 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. EDT May 16. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0169

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage is revealed after the cover was removed from the truck trailer that delivered it. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-08pd0171

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage is revealed after the cover was removed from the truck that delivered it. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-99pp0729

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

STS-93 Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) smiles for the photographer before climbing into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pp0723

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

The STS-93 crew pose in front of an M-113, an armored personnel carrier, which they will use for emergency egress training from the launch pad. From left are Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, Commander Eileen M. Collins and Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. Tognini represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). TCDT activities familiarize the crew with the mission, provide training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pp0726

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

STS-93 Commander Eileen M. Collins climbs into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.), and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pp0731

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

STS-93 Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) smiles for the photographer before climbing into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pp0728

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

STS-93 Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), pauses for the photographer before climbing into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pp0727

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

STS-93 Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby pauses for the photographer before climbing into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Commander Eileen M. Collins and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.), and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pp0724

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

Inside an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad, the STS-93 crew take part in emergency egress training under the watchful eyes of Capt. George Hoggard (center), trainer with the KSC Fire Department. From left are Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, Commander Eileen M. Collins, Hoggard, Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. Tognini represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The training is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

KSC-99pp0725

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

During emergency egress training inside an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad, Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France and Commander Eileen M. Collins share a light moment. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Also at KSC are Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), and Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. Tognini represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

STS-93 M.S. Tognini and Commander Collins take part in emergency egress training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

During emergency egress training inside an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad, Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France and Commander Eileen M. Collins share a light moment. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Also at KSC are Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), and Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. Tognini represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B.

STS-93 Commander Collins takes part in emergency egress training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

STS-93 Commander Eileen M. Collins climbs into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.), and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B.

First AXAF Fellowships Awarded

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-03-01

The AXAF (Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility) Science Center has announced the selection of five scientists to inaugurate the AXAF Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Competition for the fellowships was open to all recent astronomy and astrophysics graduates worldwide. The AXAF Fellows will work for three years at a host astronomical institution in the United States where they will investigate topics broadly related to the scientific mission of AXAF. Additional AXAF Fellows will be selected each year over the course of the program. The AXAF Fellowship Program is a joint venture between NASA and the AXAF Science Center in cooperation with the host institutions. The AXAF Science Center is operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts and funded by NASA through the Marshall Space Flight Center. "We are elated at the outstanding group of Fellows," said Harvey Tananbaum, the Director of the AXAF Science Center. "They will be working during the exciting period when the first X-ray images will be received from AXAF." Nancy Remage Evans, AXAF Fellowship Program Coordinator added, "The program will also encourage AXAF related work at institutions throughout the United States." An independent panel of scientists selected the honorees. The first AXAF Fellows and the host institutions at which they will hold their fellowships are: David Buote (University of California, Santa Cruz), Tiziana Di Matteo (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), Ann Esin (California Institute of Technology), Joseph Mohr (University of Chicago), and Edward Moran (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). AXAF, the third of NASA's Great Observatories after the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, is the largest and most sophisticated X-ray telescope ever built. When it is launched in December of this year, AXAF's high resolution will provide new information about exploding stars, black holes, colliding galaxies, and other extremely hot regions of the universe. Further information about the AXAF satellite is available at the World Wide Web at http://xrtpub.harvard.edu/. Further information about the Fellowship program is available at http://asc.harvard.edu/fellows/. Supplemental Information on 1998 AXAF Fellows: * David Buote graduated from MIT, Cambridge MA 02139 * Tiziana DiMatteo graduated from Cambridge University, Cambridge CB30HA UK * Ann Esin graduated from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 * Joseph Mohr graduated from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 * Edward Moran graduated from Columbia University, New York City, NY 10027

An MF/HF radio array for radio and radar imaging of the ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isham, Brett; Gustavsson, Bjorn; Belyey, Vasyl; Bullett, Terrence

2016-07-01

The Aguadilla Radio Array will be installed at the Interamerican University Aguadilla Campus, located in northwestern Puerto Rico. The array is intended for broad-band medium and high-frequency (MF/HF, roughly 2 to 25 MHz) radio and bistatic radar observations of the ionosphere. The main array consists of 20 antenna elements, arranged in a semi-random pattern providing a good distribution of baseline vectors, with 6-meter minimum spacing to eliminate spacial aliasing. A relocatable 6-element array is also being developed, in which each element consists of a crossed pair of active electric dipoles and all associated electronics for phase-coherent radio measurements. A primary scientific goal of the array is to create images of the region of ionospheric radio emissions stimulated by the new Arecibo Observatory high-power high-frequency radio transmitter. A second primary goal is the study of ionospheric structure and dynamics via coherent radar imaging of the ionosphere in collaboration with the University of Colorado / NOAA Versatile Interferometric Pulsed Ionospheric Radar (VIPIR), located at the USGS San Juan Observatory in Cayey, Puerto Rico. In addition to ionospheric research in collaboration with the Cayey and Arecibo Observatories, the goals of the project include the development of radio sounding, polarization, interferometry, and imaging techniques, and training of students at the university and high school levels.

Studies of High Energy Particle Astrophysics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nitz, David F; Fick, Brian E

This report covers the progress of the Michigan Technological University particle astrophysics group during the period April 15th, 2011 through April 30th, 2014. The principal investigator is Professor David Nitz. Professor Brian Fick is the Co-PI. The focus of the group is the study of the highest energy cosmic rays using the Pierre Auger Observatory. The major goals of the Pierre Auger Observatory are to discover and understand the source or sources of cosmic rays with energies exceeding 10**19 eV, to identify the particle type(s), and to investigate the interactions of those cosmic particles both in space and in themore » Earth's atmosphere. The Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina was completed in June 2008 with 1660 surface detector stations and 24 fluorescence telescopes arranged in 4 stations. It has a collecting area of 3,000 square km, yielding an aperture of 7,000 km**2 sr.« less

The Chandra X-ray Observatory prepped for removal from its container in the Vertical Processing Faci

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), workers check the overhead cable that will lift the Chandra X-ray Observatory out of its protective container. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory prepped for removal from its container in the Vertical Processing Faci

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), the Chandra X-ray Observatory (top) lies in its protective container while workers on the floor prepare the overhead cable that will remove it. In the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory prepped for removal from its container in the Vertical Processing Faci

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), workers attach the overhead cable to the Chandra X-ray Observatory to lift it out of its protective container. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

VLT/SPHERE- and ALMA-based shape reconstruction of asteroid (3) Juno

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viikinkoski, M.; Kaasalainen, M.; Ďurech, J.; Carry, B.; Marsset, M.; Fusco, T.; Dumas, C.; Merline, W. J.; Yang, B.; Berthier, J.; Kervella, P.; Vernazza, P.

2015-09-01

We use the recently released Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) and VLT/SPHERE science verification data, together with earlier adaptive-optics images, stellar occultation, and lightcurve data to model the 3D shape and spin of the large asteroid (3) Juno with the all-data asteroid modelling (ADAM) procedure. These data set limits on the plausible range of shape models, yielding reconstructions suggesting that, despite its large size, Juno has sizable unrounded features moulded by non-gravitational processes such as impacts. Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile (prog. ID: 60.A-9379, 086.C-0785), and at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation.

KSC-99pc0174

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-08

In the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), workers check the placement of the Chandra X-ray Observatory on the stand on the floor. The stand will be used to raise the observatory to a vertical position. While in the VPF, the telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

The Advanced Gamma-Ray Imaging System (AGIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, David A.; AGIS Collaboration

2009-01-01

The spectacular astrophysical discoveries made by the present generation of ground-based gamma-ray observatories have opened a new era in the exploration of the highest energy Universe and have conclusively established the field of very-high-energy (VHE) astronomy, covering the energy regime above about 50 GeV. The detection of nearly 100 galactic and extragalactic sources has generated considerable interest in the astronomy, astrophysics and particle physics communities and has stimulated ambitious ideas and plans for future gamma-ray observatories. AGIS is a concept for a next generation VHE observatory with a collecting area on the scale of a square kilometer being developed by an international collaboration. It would have significantly improved angular and energy resolution, increased field of view, and an order of magnitude increase in sensitivity over existing space or ground-based instruments in the energy range 40 GeV to 100 TeV. The scientific motivations and R&D roadmap for AGIS will be discussed.

ESO Director General to Become President of AUI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-11-01

The appointment of Professor Riccardo Giacconi , Director General of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) since January 1, 1993, to the Presidency of Associated Universities, Inc. ( AUI ) in the USA, has been jointly announced by Professor Paul C. Martin, Chair of AUI's Board of Trustees and Mr. Henrik Grage, President of the ESO Council. Professor Giacconi will assume this new position at the end of his term at ESO as of July 1, 1999. AUI is a not-for-profit science management corporation that operates the National Radio Astronomy Observatory ( NRAO) under a Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). Corporate headquarters are located in Washington, D.C. The President is its chief executive officer. Nine northeastern universities joined in founding AUI in 1946: Columbia University, Cornell University, Harvard University, The Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, the University of Rochester, and Yale University. Over the years, AUI has taken on a broad national character with a diversified Board of Trustees from universities and other institutions across the United States. ESO is an intergovernmental organization, at present with the following member countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Portugal has an agreement with ESO aiming at full membership. ESO was founded in 1962 to establish and operate an astronomical observatory in the southern hemisphere and to promote and organize co-operation in astronomical research in Europe. While the ESO Headquarters are situated in Europe, the observing facilities are located in Chile (South America). The organization's main administrative and technical departments are located at the ESO Headquarters, in Garching near Munich, Germany. They include a number of highly specialized facilities, e.g. the optical, infrared, detector and instrumentation laboratories, all engaged in front-line research and development. The European Coordinating Facility for the Hubble Space Telescope, jointly managed by ESO and the European Space Agency (ESA), is also situated in Garching. Mr. Grage , President of the ESO Council, expressed the gratitude of the ESO Community for the leadership provided by Prof. Giacconi during these crucial years of development of the organization and its La Silla and Paranal Observatories. In particular, the splendid achievements on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) are a tribute to the ESO staff and to his management and guidance. VLT is currently the largest single project in ground-based astronomy. It has met or exceeded all performance requirements while being built on time and within budget. When reached for comment, Professor Giacconi pointed out: "I have enjoyed enormously the time I have spent here at ESO and I consider it one of the high points of my career. I feel confident that I am leaving ESO in very good condition. The fine performance of the entire staff has succeeded in bringing the organization to an outstanding position in ground-based astronomy in the world. The prospects for the future are equally brilliant. I will be happy and proud to assume the Presidency of Associated Universities, Inc. starting next summer. For more than fifty years, AUI has, in collaboration with universities and the national and international scientific community, overseen and managed national facilities which have made possible a wealth of important discoveries in physics, astronomy, and many other areas of science and technology. In the 21st Century, new challenges and opportunities to serve the community await AUI." Asked about the recent developments in astronomy, Professor Giacconi added that "Advances in this fundamental field of research have come to depend more and more on the execution of complex and large projects. Many of these necessitate international cooperation on the broadest scale. The VLT is an outstanding example and will be the prime ground-based optical observatory of the coming Century. The expertise of AUI and NRAO in providing effective support to the radio astronomy community will prove an invaluable asset in carrying out, under NSF sponsorship, the new and ambitious international cooperative project in submillimeter wave astronomy. I look forward to the opportunity to help AUI in the realization of this undertaking, so important for future advances in the field. Scientific research in different disciplines is ever more closely interwoven today in methodology and management approaches. The expertise of AUI and of the university community it represents qualifies the organization to manage scientific endeavors in many fields. Guiding AUI in responding to the many challenges and opportunities it faces will be interesting and exciting." "We are thrilled that Professor Giacconi has decided to take this position," said Professor Paul Martin , Chairman of the Board of AUI. "It is hard to imagine anyone better qualified to lead an organization committed to managing facilities performing frontier science. His vision and foresight have been at the heart of pioneering projects including the Einstein Observatory, the Space Telescope, and the VLT. He is an extraordinary scientist and an outstanding manager whose accomplishments and values have earned him worldwide respect and admiration." Prior to this assignment at ESO, Prof. Giacconi had served as Director of the Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. He is best known in scientific circles for his pioneering contributions to X-ray astronomy. His seminal work in this field, which started at American Science and Engineering, Inc., culminated in the realization, while on the faculty of Harvard University, of the orbital Einstein Observatory in the 1970's. He is currently on leave as Research Professor of Johns Hopkins University and Astronomer Emeritus at STScI. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious scientific awards for his work. Prof. Giacconi is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the author of books as well as more than 200 scientific publications. Note: [1] This is a joint Press Release of ESO and AUI (URL: http://www.aui.edu/ ). How to obtain ESO Press Information ESO Press Information is made available on the World-Wide Web (URL: http://www.eso.org ). ESO Press Photos may be reproduced, if credit is given to the European Southern Observatory.

NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate the International Year of Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Click on the image for larger version

In 1609, Galileo improved the newly invented telescope, turned it toward the heavens, and revolutionized our view of the universe. In celebration of the 400th anniversary of this milestone, 2009 has been designated as the International Year of Astronomy.

Today, NASA's Great Observatories are continuing Galileo's legacy with stunning images and breakthrough science from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

While Galileo observed the sky using visible light seen by the human eye, technology now allows us to observe in many wavelengths, including Spitzer's infrared view and Chandra's view in X-rays. Each wavelength region shows different aspects of celestial objects and often reveals new objects that could not otherwise be studied.

This image of the spiral galaxy Messier 101 is a composite of views from Spitzer, Hubble, and Chandra. The red color shows Spitzer's view in infrared light. It highlights the heat emitted by dust lanes in the galaxy where stars can form. The yellow color is Hubble's view in visible light. Most of this light comes from stars, and they trace the same spiral structure as the dust lanes. The blue color shows Chandra's view in X-ray light. Sources of X-rays include million-degree gas, exploded stars, and material colliding around black holes.

Such composite images allow astronomers to see how features seen in one wavelength match up with those seen in another wavelength. It's like seeing with a camera, night vision goggles, and X-ray vision all at once.

In the four centuries since Galileo, astronomy has changed dramatically. Yet our curiosity and quest for knowledge remain the same. So, too, does our wonder at the splendor of the universe.

The International Year of Astronomy Great Observatories Image Unveiling is supported by the NASA Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Division. The project is a collaboration between the Space Telescope Science Institute, the Spitzer Science Center, and the Chandra X-ray Center.

NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory Selected as Editor's Choice in 2000 Discover Magazine Awards for Technological Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-06-01

The Chandra X-ray Observatory, NASA's newest and most powerful X-ray space telescope, has been selected as the winner of the Editor's Choice category of the 2000 Discover Magazine Awards for Technological Innovation. The team of government, industry, university and research institutions that designed, built and deployed Chandra for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala, will be formally recognized June 24 at a gala awards celebration at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fl. Dr. Harvey Tananbaum, director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Chandra X-ray Science Center, Cambridge, Mass., which conducts the Chandra science mission for NASA, will receive the award on behalf of the team. "Chandra has opened a new window for astronomers into the universe of high-energy cosmic events such as pulsars, supernova remnants and black holes," said Tananbaum. "We're now able to create spectacularly detailed images of celestial phenomena whose mere existence we could only hypothesize before." Among Chandra's most significant discoveries to date, he lists the detection of a giant ring around the heart of the Crab Nebula, details of the shock wave created by an exploding star and resolution of the high-energy X-ray "glow" in the universe into millions of specific light sources. "The successful launch, deployment and on-orbit operations of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is a testament to the solid partnership between TRW, NASA and the science community that has been enabling NASA's most important space science missions for the past 40 years," said Timothy W. Hannemann, executive vice president and general manager, TRW Space & Electronics Group. "The extraordinary images that Chandra is delivering daily speaks loudly not only to the quality of the science instruments on board, but also to the engineering talents and dedication to mission success exhibited by every member of NASA's Chandra mission team." Chandra, named in honor of Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, was launched in July 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia and deployed to a highly elliptical Earth orbit. Over the next five years, it will use the world's most powerful X-ray telescope to probe the mysteries of a universe that cannot be seen by the human eye or conventional optical telescopes. Its array of exquisite mirrors, ground and polished by Raytheon Optical Systems, Inc., and assembled and aligned by Eastman Kodak, will allow Chandra to gather and focus X-rays from celestial sources billions of light years away. Chandra's science instrument module was designed and built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., then integrated with instruments provided by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Penn State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Space Research Organization of The Netherlands, and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. Ball Aerospace also produced Chandra's aspect camera. The Discover Awards for Technological Innovation, now in their 11th year, are designed to acknowledge the creativity of men, women, corporations and institutions who have reached superior levels of ingenuity. Each year, Discover Magazine's editorial staff reviews thousands of new products and ideas presented in the scientific literature or nominated by leading technology-based companies and research organizations. The editorial staff selects semi-finalists in each of eight technology categories, then submits the nominations to an independent panel of experts. The panel then selects the finalists and the winner in each area of technology. The Editor's choice category is reserved for innovations so unique or promising that they go beyond the magazine's established innovation categories by providing a marked advance in their field. Chandra's powerful X-ray telescope can resolve distant images eight times sharper and detect X-ray sources 20 times fainter than any previous X-ray space telescope. Chandra, along with the rest of the winners, will be listed in the July issue of Discover Magazine, scheduled for delivery to newsstands on June 19. The 2000 award winners will also be featured at the magazine's Web site: www.discover.com. To follow Chandra's progress visit the Chandra websites at http://chandra.harvard.edu AND http://chandra.nasa.gov

The Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task (SPORT): A Multinational Science Mission using a CubeSat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spann, J. F.; Habash Krause, L.; Swenson, C.; Heelis, R. A.; Bishop, R. L.; Le, G.; Abdu, M. A.; Durão, O.; Loures, L.; De Nardin, C. M.; Shibuya, L.; Casas, J.; Nash-STevenson, S.; Muralikrishana, P.; Costa, J. E. R.; Wrasse, C. M.; Fry, C. D.

2017-12-01

The Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task (SPORT) is a 6U CubeSat pathfinder mission to address the very compelling but difficult problem of understanding the preconditions leading to equatorial plasma bubbles. The scientific literature describes the preconditions in both the plasma drifts and the density profiles related to bubble formations that occur several hours later in the evening. Most of the scientific discovery has resulted from observations at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory from Peru, a single site, within a single longitude sector. SPORT will provide a systematic study of the state of the pre-bubble conditions at all longitudes sectors to allow us to understand the differences between geography and magnetic geometry. This talk will present an overview of the mission and the anticipated data products. Products include global maps of scintillation occurrence as a function of local time, and magnetic conjugacy occurrence observations. SPORT is a multinational partnership between NASA, the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE), and the Technical Aeronautics Institute under the Brazilian Air Force Command Department (DCTA/ITA). It has been encouraged by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to foster increased cooperation and ties between academics, civilian space programs and the militaries. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is coordinating this investigation by overseeing the launch to orbit and the flight instruments, which are being built by the Aerospace Corporation, University of Texas Dallas, Utah State University, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The Brazilian partners are contributing the spacecraft, observatory integration and test, ground observation networks, and mission operations and data management. The science data will be distributed from and archived at the INPE/EMBRACE regional space-weather forecasting center in Brazil, and mirrored at the NASA GSFC Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF).

Explosive events on the Sun.

PubMed

Harra, Louise K

2002-12-15

I describe two of the most dynamic and highly energetic phenomena in the Solar System--the explosive flares that can occur when plasma is confined by magnetic fields and the large-scale ejections of material known as 'coronal mass ejections'. These explosive events are poorly understood and yet occur in a variety of contexts in the Universe, ranging from planetary magnetospheres to active galactic nuclei. Understanding why flares and coronal mass ejections occur is a major goal across a wide range of space physics and astrophysics. Although explosive events from the Sun have dramatic effects on Earth, flares in other stars, for example, can be vastly more energetic and have an even more profound effect on their environment. We are now in the unprecedented position of having access to a number of space observatories dedicated to the Sun: the Yohkoh spacecraft, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer and the Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager. These cover a wide wavelength range from white light to gamma rays with both spectroscopy and imaging, and allow huge progress to be made in understanding the processes involved in such large explosions. The high-resolution data show dramatic and complex explosions of material on all spatial scales on the Sun. They have revealed that the Sun is constantly changing everywhere on its surface--something that was never imagined before. One of the mechanisms that has been proposed to account for the large energy release is magnetic reconnection. Recent observations from space increasingly support this view. This article will discuss those observations that support this model and also those that suggest different processes. The current space missions have given us an excellent insight into the actual explosive processes in the Sun. However, they have provided us with only a tantalizing glimpse of what causes the elusive trigger. Future missions such as Solar-B (the follow-on to Yohkoh), the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory, the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Solar Orbiter mission will allow us to probe the trigger in a way that was not dreamt of a decade ago, by providing stereo views, measurements from Sun-grazing orbit, and much higher spatial, temporal and spectral resolution. It is an exciting time for solar physics and everything that we learn about the Sun will improve our ability to understand other magnetic phenomena in the Universe.

Report on the Observation of Binaries in 2013: Humacao University Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotto, D.; Muller, R.; Cersosimo, J.; Rodriguez, R.; Diaz, M.; Rosario, M.; Nieves, Y.; Franco, E.; Lopez, A.; Torres, B.; Vergara, N.; Rodriguez-del Valle, Y.; Espinosa, G.; Reyes, M.; Martinez, J.

2017-07-01

This is a report on observations of position angle and separation of binary stars of the year 2013 from the Humacao University Observatory. The stars analyzed totaled 62; they were imaged at the NURO 31 inch telescope in Flagstaff, Arizona in June 2013. The images were analyzed at the Humacao Observatory of the University of Puerto Rico.

Speckle Image Reconstruction.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

from observations using the University of Arizona 2.3 meter telescope, the Kitt Peak National Observatory 4 meter telescope and the Multiple Mirror...Telescope. Kitt Peak Natioinal Observatory, a division of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, is operated by the Association of Universities for...Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract to the National Science Foundation. The Multiple Mirror Telescope is a joint facility of the University

The STS-93 crew takes part in payload familiarization of the Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

A TRW technician joins STS-93 Commander Eileen Collins (center) and Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby (right) as they observe the Chandra X- ray Observatory on its work stand inside the Vertical Processing Facility. Other members of the STS-93 crew who are at KSC for payload familiarization are Mission Specialists Catherine G. Coleman and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a shuttle mission commander. She was the first woman pilot of a Space Shuttle, on mission STS-63, and also served as pilot on mission STS-84. The fifth member of the crew is Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe.

A Scientific Revolution: The Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Jonathan P.

2010-01-01

Astronomy is going through a scientific revolution, responding to a flood of data from the Hubble Space Telescope, other space missions, and large telescopes on the ground. In this talk, I will discuss some of the important discoveries of the last decade, from dwarf planets in the outer Solar System to the mysterious dark energy that overcomes gravity to accelerate the expansion of the Universe. The next decade will be equally bright with the newly refurbished Hubble and the promise of its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope. An infrared-optimized 6.5m space telescope, Webb is designed to find the first galaxies that formed in the early universe and to peer into the dusty gas clouds where stars and planets are born. With MEMS technology, a deployed primary mirror and a tennis-court sized sunshield, the mission presents many technical challenges. I will describe Webb's scientific goals, its design and recent progress in constructing the observatory. Webb is scheduled for launch in 2014.

Characterizing K2 Planet Discoveries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanderburg, Andrew; Montet, Benjamin; Johnson, John; Buchhave, Lars A.; Zeng, Li; Bieryla, Allyson; Latham, David W.; Charbonneau, David; Harps-N Collaboration, The Robo-Ao Team

2015-01-01

We present an effort to confirm the first planet discovered by the two-wheeled Kepler mission. We analyzed K2 photometry, correcting for nonuniform detector response as a function of the spacecraft's pointing, and detected a transiting planet candidate. We describe our multi-telescope followup observing campaign, consisting of photometric, spectroscopic, and high resolution imaging observations, including over 40 HARPS-N radial velocity measurements. The new planet is a super-Earth orbiting a bright star amenable to followup observations. HARPS-N was funded by the Swiss Space Office, the Harvard Origin of Life Initiative, the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, the University of Geneva, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, the Italian National Astrophysical Institute, the University of St. Andrews, Queens University Belfast, and the University of Edinburgh.

Velior Petrovich

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ness, Norman

Dr. Velior Petrovich Shabansky, aged 58, the head of the Laboratory of Cosmic Electrodynamics, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University, suddenly passed away on November 16, 1985, of a heart attack. He was one of the founders of theoretical ideas in physics of interplanetary and near-earth space. Shabansky obtained his education at the Moscow State University and joined the P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R., as a postgraduate. He obtained his Candidate's Degree in theory of conductivity of metals in strong electric fields, with V. L. Ginsburg as his advisor, in 1954. During 1954-1958, Shabansky continued investigation of nonlinear properties of plasma in metals. For the next 2 years, he worked at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. Shabansky left the Crimean Observatory to go to the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University, where he investigated the earth's radiation belts, the plasma of the earth's magnetosphere, finished his doctoral dissertation, and received his degree in 1966. From 1966, he headed the Laboratory of Cosmic Electrodynamics, Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University. He is best known to the scientific community in the Soviet Union as chief of the Seminar on Cosmic Electrodynamics. Shabansky elaborated a special course of lectures on space physics that has been delivered for many years at the Physical Faculty, Moscow State University. He taught a large number of Soviet physicists, experts in cosmic electrodynamics. An enthusiastic, talented, and many-sided personality, he carried away everybody who knew him. He was known to the U.S. space physics community because of his own work, because of the work of his colleagues and students, a n d because of his infectious and spirited personality. Having died an untimely death, he left a deeply mourning widow and a 23-year-old son. Friends and colleagues will keep the bright image of Dr. Shabansky in their memory forever.

Education in astronomy and solar-terrestrial relations in science research environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoeva, Penka; Stoev, Alexey

In recent years, more and more attention is paid to educational programmes, which are closely connected with the process of scientific research. Such programmes are developed in collab-oration and included in the schools, universities and scientific institutes in Bulgaria. They are also used in the organization of public events aimed to demonstrate beauty, relevance and significance of Space and Earth science to the whole world. During the last four years, So-lar-Terrestrial Influences Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and the Yuri Gagarin Public Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium, Stara Zagora succeeded to build an ex-cellent partnership, working on the International Heliophysical year and International Year of Astronomy -global efforts initiated by the UNESCO and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe. They organized and tutored all the Astronomical Observatories and Planetaria, and teachers from all around Bulgaria to participate in the world initiatives Solar Week, Sun-Earth Day,Yuri's Night, World Astronomy day and World Space week, and use them in the process of education and public outreach. After the official closing of the International Heliophysical year, the IHY follow-on activities in Bulgaria continued and were devoted to the International Year of Astronomy 2009. A lot of lectures, public talks and exhibitions have been organized. Stara Zagora became a host of IHY Space Weather Monitor -SID (Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances), numerous of educational materials have been adapted and translated in Bulgarian. Cycle of lectures "Epock of Great astronomical discoveries", devoted to the International Year of Astronomy was given in April 2009 in the Stara Zagora Art Gallery. Participation in the cornerstone projects of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 was organized: "100 hours of Astronomy" -ob-servations with small telescopes in the period of 5 -9 April 2009 -more than 5000 people were happy to observe the Sun, Moon, Venus and other celestial objects; "The Galileoscope"; "Galilean Nights" -encourages everybody to go out to the streets and observe the cosmos; "Dark Skies Awareness" -Measuring of the light pollution level above the region of Stara Zagora; "Astronomy and World Heritage" -archaeoastronomical research of megalithic mon-uments and sanctuaries -examples of ancient observatories for observations of solar extreme rises, sets and meridional culminations; history of the first modern astronomical observatory in Bulgaria; "Galileo Teacher Training Program" -Teaching the teachers. At the beginning of every school year teacher-training course is conducted on astronomy and astrophysics. This year they will actively use telescopes to observe the sky with students; "Universe Awareness" -a lot of games and observations, modeling, exhibitions and parties are organized. "From Earth to the Universe" Exhibitions of astronomical photographs from space and ground based telescopes. Astronomy Olympiads -scientific teaching is improved when the students engaged in doing real science on real data. Fifteen years we participate in the International Astronomy Olympiad and our students win medals. Observarion of solar eclipses is an example of educa-tion in science research environment. We were happy to observe the longest for the last 2000 years total solar eclipse on July 22, 2009, in TianHuangPing, China, at 900m above the sea level. Immediately after the end of this unique phenomenon, images of the eclipsed Sun were sent in Bulgaria. Cooperations -we have good international and national cooperations with a lot of Institutes, Universities, organizations and mass media -radio, TV, magazines, news-papers Information and press conferences about the events have been regularly made available for journalists. With the experience we gained from the IHY and IYA initiatives, being a host of a SID Monitor, we focus on the new International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI) aimed to continue the study of universal processes in the solar system and to contribute to understanding the impacts of Space Weather on Earth and the near-Earth environment.

The Relationship between the Dense Neutral and Diffuse Ionized Gas in the Thick Disks of Two Edge-on Spiral Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rueff, Katherine M.; Howk, J. Christopher; Pitterle, Marissa; Hirschauer, Alec S.; Fox, Andrew J.; Savage, Blair D.

2013-03-01

We present high-resolution, optical images (BVI + Hα) of the multiphase interstellar medium (ISM) in the thick disks of the edge-on spiral galaxies NGC 4013 and NGC 4302. Our images from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Large Binocular Telescope, and WIYN 3.5 m telescope reveal an extensive population of filamentary dust absorption seen to z ~2-2.5 kpc. Many of these dusty thick disk structures have characteristics reminiscent of molecular clouds found in the Milky Way disk. Our Hα images show that the extraplanar diffuse ionized gas (DIG) in these galaxies is dominated by a smooth, diffuse component. The strongly filamentary morphologies of the dust absorption have no counterpart in the smoothly distributed Hα emission. We argue that the thick disk DIG and dust-bearing filaments trace physically distinct phases of the thick disk ISM, the latter tracing a dense, warm or cold neutral medium. The dense, dusty matter in the thick disks of spiral galaxies is largely tracing matter ejected from the thin disk via energetic feedback from massive stars. The high densities of the gas may be a result of converging gas flows. This dense material fuels some thick disk star formation, as evidenced by the presence of thick disk H II regions. Based on observations obtained with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope operated at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. Also, based on data acquired using the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The LBT is an international collaboration among institutions in the US, Italy, and Germany. LBT Corporation partners are the University of Arizona, on behalf of the Arizona University System; Instituto Nazionale do Astrofisica, Italy; LBT Beteiligungsgesellschaft, Germany, representing the Max Planck Society, the Astrophysical Institute of Potsdam, and Heidelberg University; Ohio State University, and the Research Corporation, on behalf of the University of Notre Dame, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Virginia. Also, based on observations obtained by the WIYN Observatory which is a joint facility of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Yale University, Indiana University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories.

HUBBLE'S PLANETARY NEBULA GALLERY

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

[Top left] - IC 3568 lies in the constellation Camelopardalis at a distance of about 9,000 light-years, and has a diameter of about 0.4 light-years (or about 800 times the diameter of our solar system). It is an example of a round planetary nebula. Note the bright inner shell and fainter, smooth, circular outer envelope. Credits: Howard Bond (Space Telescope Science Institute), Robin Ciardullo (Pennsylvania State University) and NASA [Top center] - NGC 6826's eye-like appearance is marred by two sets of blood-red 'fliers' that lie horizontally across the image. The surrounding faint green 'white' of the eye is believed to be gas that made up almost half of the star's mass for most of its life. The hot remnant star (in the center of the green oval) drives a fast wind into older material, forming a hot interior bubble which pushes the older gas ahead of it to form a bright rim. (The star is one of the brightest stars in any planetary.) NGC 6826 is 2,200 light- years away in the constellation Cygnus. The Hubble telescope observation was taken Jan. 27, 1996 with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. Credits: Bruce Balick (University of Washington), Jason Alexander (University of Washington), Arsen Hajian (U.S. Naval Observatory), Yervant Terzian (Cornell University), Mario Perinotto (University of Florence, Italy), Patrizio Patriarchi (Arcetri Observatory, Italy) and NASA [Top right ] - NGC 3918 is in the constellation Centaurus and is about 3,000 light-years from us. Its diameter is about 0.3 light-year. It shows a roughly spherical outer envelope but an elongated inner balloon inflated by a fast wind from the hot central star, which is starting to break out of the spherical envelope at the top and bottom of the image. Credits: Howard Bond (Space Telescope Science Institute), Robin Ciardullo (Pennsylvania State University) and NASA [Bottom left] - Hubble 5 is a striking example of a 'butterfly' or bipolar (two-lobed) nebula. The heat generated by fast winds causes each of the lobes to expand, much like a pair of balloons with internal heaters. This observation was taken Sept. 9, 1997 by the Hubble telescope's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. Hubble 5 is 2,200 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Credits: Bruce Balick (University of Washington), Vincent Icke (Leiden University, The Netherlands), Garrelt Mellema (Stockholm University), and NASA [Bottom center ] - Like NGC 6826, NGC 7009 has a bright central star at the center of a dark cavity bounded by a football-shaped rim of dense, blue and red gas. The cavity and its rim are trapped inside smoothly-distributed greenish material in the shape of a barrel and comprised of the star's former outer layers. At larger distances, and lying along the long axis of the nebula, a pair of red 'ansae', or 'handles' appears. Each ansa is joined to the tips of the cavity by a long greenish jet of material. The handles are clouds of low-density gas. NGC 7009 is 1,400 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius. The Hubble telescope observation was taken April 28, 1996 by the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. Credits: Bruce Balick (University of Washington), Jason Alexander (University of Washington), Arsen Hajian (U.S. Naval Observatory), Yervant Terzian (Cornell University), Mario Perinotto (University of Florence, Italy), Patrizio Patriarchi (Arcetri Observatory, Italy), NASA [Bottom right ] - NGC 5307 also lies in Centaurus but is about 10,000 light-years away and has a diameter of approximately 0.6 light-year. It is an example of a planetary nebula with a pinwheel or spiral structure; each blob of gas ejected from the central star has a counterpart on the opposite side of the star. Credits: Howard Bond (Space Telescope Science Institute), Robin Ciardullo (Pennsylvania State University) and NASA

KSC-08pd1619

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft atop the Delta II rocket is spotlighted after rollback of the mobile service tower on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-08pd1633

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Smoke is generated at liftoff of NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B. Liftoff was at 12:05 p.m. EDT. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Gray, Regina Mitchell-Ryall

KSC-08pd1642

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Smoke envelops the Delta II rocket with NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, aboard as it launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B. Liftoff was at 12:05 p.m. EDT. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Jerry Cannon, Robert Murray

KSC-08pd1635

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Smoke is generated at liftoff of NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, aboard a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B. Liftoff was at 12:05 p.m. EDT. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Gray, Regina Mitchell-Ryall

KSC-08pd1126

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians lower the overhead crane onto NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1135

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians stretch protective cover over NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. GLAST is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1124

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians prepare NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft for attachment of an overhead crane. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1136

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians stretch protective cover over NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. GLAST is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1134

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians begin placing a protective cover over NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. GLAST is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1359

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians lower NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft toward the payload attach fitting. The fitting will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1358

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians lower NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft toward the payload attach fitting. The fitting will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1360

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians check the placement of NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft on the payload attach fitting. The fitting will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1352

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft is being prepared for a move to an payload attach fitting that will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1354

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft will be installed on this payload attach fitting that will eventually be mated to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1356

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians prepare the payload attach fitting that will receive NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The fitting will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1361

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians check the attachment of NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft on the payload attach fitting. The fitting will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1355

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians prepare NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft for its move to the payload attach fitting that will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

First ISON observations for satellite conjunction analysis in the Western Hemisphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zalles, R.; Molotov, I.; Kokina, T.; Zolotov, V.; Condori, R.

2018-01-01

In this paper we report on observations of a pair of approaching space objects in the beginning of June 2016, observed jointly by the Tarija Observatory in Bolivia and the Mexican observatory of Sinaloa University in Cosala in the context of the ISON collaboration. These objects were the STAR ONE C1 (2007-056A) active satellite in GEO position 65\\ deg west, and the passive satellite LES 6 (1968-081D). The large number of measurements obtained in a few nights allowed a precise orbit reconstruction. The passive satellite LES 6 (with a brigtness amplitude variation of 3 magnitudes) was too faint for the small aperture of the Cosala telescope.

Be Star Hα Line Profile Variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, S. J.; Dunlap, B.; Franklin, M.; Hoggard, T.; Hoskins, J. S.

2004-12-01

The monitoring of the spectroscopic variability of Be stars is crucial for testing Be star models. Motivated by this, a Be star monitoring project was developed for undergraduate student research involvement. We have been obtaining 0.8 Angstrom/pixel resolution Hα line profiles for several bright Be stars since 2003 June. These spectra were acquired using the UCA Fiber Fed Spectrograph used at the UCA Observatory and the Nubbin Ridge Observatory in Royal, AR. H-α line profiles, velocities, and variability are shown for Delta Sco, Chi Oph, Eta PsA, 48 Lib, and Upsilon Sgr (HD181615). Funding has been provided by the UCA University Research Council and the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium.

Review of lunar telescope studies at MSFC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilchey, John D.; Nein, Max E.

1993-09-01

In the near future astronomers can take advantage of the lunar surface as the new 'high ground' from which to study the universe. Optical telescopes placed and operated on the lunar surface would be successors to NASA's Great Observatories. Four telescopes, ranging in aperture from a 16-m, IR/Vis/UV observatory down to a 1-m, UV 'transit' instrument, have been studied by the Lunar Telescope Working Group and the LUTE (lunar telescope ultraviolet experiment) Task Team of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). This paper presents conceptual designs of the telescopes, provides descriptions of the telescope subsystem options selected for each concept, and outlines the potential evolution of their science capabilities.

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becklin, Eric E.

1998-08-01

The joint US and German SOFIA project to develop and operate a 2.5 meter IR airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP is now in its second year. The Universities Space Research Association, teamed with Raytheon E-Systems and United Airlines, is developing and will operate SOFIA. The 2.5 meter telescope will be designed and built by a consortium of German companies led by MAN. Work on the aircraft and the primary mirror has started. First science flights will begin in 2001 with 20 percent of the observing time assigned to German investigators. The observatory is expected to operate for over 20 years. The sensitivity, characteristics and science instrument complement are discussed.

KSC-99pp0351

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-03-26

In the Vertical Processing Facility, TRW technicians look at the point of attachment on the Chandra X-ray Observatory, at left, for the solar panel array (behind them). They are getting ready to attach and deploy the solar panel. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93

Asteroseismology of RXJ 2117+3412, the hottest pulsating PG 1159 star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vauclair, G.; Moskalik, P.; Pfeiffer, B.; Chevreton, M.; Dolez, N.; Serre, B.; Kleinman, S. J.; Barstow, M.; Sansom, A. E.; Solheim, J.-E.; Belmonte, J. A.; Kawaler, S. D.; Kepler, S. O.; Kanaan, A.; Giovannini, O.; Winget, D. E.; Watson, T. K.; Nather, R. E.; Clemens, J. C.; Provencal, J.; Dixson, J. S.; Yanagida, K.; Nitta Kleinman, A.; Montgomery, M.; Klumpe, E. W.; Bruvold, A.; O'Brien, M. S.; Hansen, C. J.; Grauer, A. D.; Bradley, P. A.; Wood, M. A.; Achilleos, N.; Jiang, S. Y.; Fu, J. N.; Marar, T. M. K.; Ashoka, B. N.; Meĭstas, E. G.; Chernyshev, A. V.; Mazeh, T.; Leibowitz, E.; Hemar, S.; Krzesiński, J.; Pajdosz, G.; Zoła, S.

2002-01-01

The pulsating PG 1159 planetary nebula central star RXJ 2117+3412 has been observed over three successive seasons of a multisite photometric campaign. The asteroseismological analysis of the data, based on the 37 identified l=1 modes among the 48 independent pulsation frequencies detected in the power spectrum, leads to the derivation of the rotational splitting, the period spacing and the mode trapping cycle and amplitude, from which a number of fundamental parameters can be deduced. The average rotation period is 1.16±0.05 days. The trend for the rotational splitting to decrease with increasing periods is incompatible with a solid body rotation. The total mass is 0.56+0.02-0.04 Msolar and the He-rich envelope mass fraction is in the range 0.013-0.078 M*. The luminosity derived from asteroseismology is log(L/Lsolar)= 4.05 +0.23-0.32 and the distance 760 +230-235 pc. At such a distance, the linear size of the planetary nebulae is 2.9±0.9 pc. The role of mass loss on the excitation mechanism and its consequence on the amplitude variations is discussed. Based on data obtained in observing time allocated by the Bernard Lyot Telescope, INSU/CNRS, France, the TCS at Teide Observatory, Tenerife, Spain, the INT and JKT Telescopes at Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma, Spain, the Laboratorio Nacional de Astrofisica/CNPq, Brazil, the McDonal Observatory, Texas, USA, the Steward Observatory, Arizona, USA, the Mauna Kea Observatory, University of Hawaii, USA, the Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatory, Australia, the Beijing Observatory, China, the Vainu Bappu Observatory, India, the Maidanak Observatory, Uzbekistan, the Wise Observatory, Israel, and the Suhora Observatory, Poland.

CTK: A new CCD Camera at the University Observatory Jena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mugrauer, M.

2009-05-01

The Cassegrain-Teleskop-Kamera (CTK) is a new CCD imager which is operated at the University Observatory Jena since begin of 2006. This article describes the main characteristics of the new camera. The properties of the CCD detector, the CTK image quality, as well as its detection limits for all filters are presented. Based on observations obtained with telescopes of the University Observatory Jena, which is operated by the Astrophysical Institute of the Friedrich-Schiller-University.

Studying Galaxy Formation with the Hubble, Spitzer and James Webb Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Jonathan P.

2009-01-01

The deepest optical to infrared observations of the universe include the Hubble Deep Fields, the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey and the recent Hubble Ultra-Deep Field. Galaxies are seen in these surveys at redshifts z greater than 6, less than 1 Gyr after the Big Bang, at the end of a period when light from the galaxies has reionized Hydrogen in the inter-galactic medium. These observations, combined with theoretical understanding, indicate that the first stars and galaxies formed at z greater than 10, beyond the reach of the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. To observe the first galaxies, NASA is planning the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a large (6.5m), cold (less than 50K), infrared-optimized observatory to be launched early in the next decade into orbit around the second Earth-Sun Lagrange point. JWST will have four instruments: The Near-Infrared Camera, the Near-Infrared multi-object Spectrograph, and the Tunable Filter Imager will cover the wavelength range 0.6 to 5 microns, while the Mid-Infrared Instrument will do both imaging and spectroscopy from 5 to 28.5 microns. In addition to JWST's ability to study the formation and evolution of galaxies, I will also briefly review its expected contributions to studies of the formation of stars and planetary systems, and discuss recent progress in constructing the observatory.

National Medal of Science

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-11-20

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology and Innovation Awards Ceremony, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 in the East Room of the White House in Washington. MESSENGER Principal Investigator, director of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Sean Solomon, was awarded the National Medal of Science, the nation's top scientific honor, at the ceremony. MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) is a NASA-sponsored scientific investigation of the planet Mercury and the first space mission designed to orbit the planet closest to the Sun. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

National Medal of Science

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-11-20

President Barack Obama, right, and MESSENGER Principal Investigator, director of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Sean Solomon, listen as a citation is read prior to the President bestowing the National Medal of Science, the nation's top scientific honor to Solomon, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington. MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) is a NASA-sponsored scientific investigation of the planet Mercury and the first space mission designed to orbit the planet closest to the Sun. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

KSC-08pd0783

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, the mechanism on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, solar arrays has been released. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Non-stationary emission of the blazar S4 0954+658 over a wide range of wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volvach, A. E.; Bychkova, V. S.; Larionov, M. G.; Kardashev, N. S.; Volvach, L. N.; Vlasyuk, V. V.; Spiridonova, O. I.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Tornikoski, M.; Aller, M. F.; Aller, H. D.; Pooley, G.; Carrasco, L.; Porras, A.; Recillas, E.

2016-12-01

Data from long-term multi-frequency monitoring are used to analyze variations in the flux density of the active galactic nucleus S4 0954+658. These data were obtained at the CrimeanAstrophysical Observatory, the Metsähovi Radio Observatory of Aalto University, the University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory, the Cavendish Laboratory of Cambridge University, the Special Astrophysical Observatory, and the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics, and Electronics; 0.1-300-GeV data from the Fermi space gamma-ray observatory were also used. Radio data at 4.8, 8, 14.5, 15, 22.2, and 36.8 GHz are considered together with optical and near-infrared data in the R, J, H, and K filters. In the framework of a model in which binary supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are present in active galactic nuclei, harmonic and structural analyses are carried out to establish the orbital ( T orb ≈ 780 yrs) and precessional ( T pr ≈ 7800 yrs) periods in the rest frame of the source. The development of the most powerful flare ever observed in this object, which occurred in February 2015, is considered. The delay in the flare's development in different wavelength ranges from the gamma-ray to the radio is determined. both the magnitude of the delays and the durations of the flares themselves suggest that the physical characteristics of S4 0954+658 are similar to those of the blazar S5 0716+714, which displays evidence of a high γ factor for the jet motion and high superluminal speeds in the jet. The masses of the components of the binary SMBH ( M and m), the dimensions of their orbit, and the velocity of the lower-mass SMBH about the central SMBH are estimated. The derived physical characteristics are subject to a comparative analysis.

NASA capabilities roadmap: advanced telescopes and observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feinberg, Lee D.

2005-01-01

The NASA Advanced Telescopes and Observatories (ATO) Capability Roadmap addresses technologies necessary for NASA to enable future space telescopes and observatories collecting all electromagnetic bands, ranging from x-rays to millimeter waves, and including gravity-waves. It has derived capability priorities from current and developing Space Missions Directorate (SMD) strategic roadmaps and, where appropriate, has ensured their consistency with other NASA Strategic and Capability Roadmaps. Technology topics include optics; wavefront sensing and control and interferometry; distributed and advanced spacecraft systems; cryogenic and thermal control systems; large precision structure for observatories; and the infrastructure essential to future space telescopes and observatories.

KSC-08pd0617

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, workers check NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, after removal of the shipping container. The workers will prepare for a complete checkout of the telescope's scientific instruments. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Delta II SIRTF Liftoff

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-25

NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) is moments away from lift off from Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, on Aug. 25. Launch is scheduled for 1:35:39 a.m. EDT. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Consisting of a 0.85-meter telescope and three cryogenically cooled science instruments, SIRTF will be the largest infrared telescope ever launched into space. It is the fourth and final element in NASA’s family of orbiting “Great Observatories.” Its highly sensitive instruments will give a unique view of the Universe and peer into regions of space that are hidden from optical telescopes.

KSC-08pd0645

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- General Dynamics technicians in the Astrotech payload processing facility remove the protective cover over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The space telescope will be moved to a work stand in the facility for a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

The James Webb Space Telescope: Observatory Status and the Path to Launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McElwain, Michael; Bowers, Chuck; Clampin, Mark; Niedner, Mal

2016-01-01

JWST will carry out transformative science from the very early universe and across cosmic time. JWST OTE and ISIM have been combined to form OTIS, which will commence environmental testing. The full JWST team has made tremendous progress since the last AT+I meeting in 2014.JWST on track following 2011 replan and remains on schedule to launch in October 2018.

The Aula EspaZio Gela and the Master of Space Science and Technology in the Universidad del País Vasco (University of the Basque Country)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Lavega, Agustín; Pérez-Hoyos, Santiago; Hueso, Ricardo; del Río-Gaztelurrutia, Teresa; Oleaga, Alberto

2014-09-01

We present the Aula EspaZio Gela, a facility dedicated to teaching Space Science and Technology at the master and doctorate level at the University of the Basque Country (Spain), and to promoting the development of this field in both public and private sectors. The one-year master's degree in Space Science and Technology (60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System)) offers a group of compulsory courses which give way afterwards to a set of elective matters in which students choose one of two tracks: the scientific, primarily oriented to basic research at the University, or the technological, leading to the space industry and space agencies. After completion of the master thesis, our students have direct access to a PhD in both curricular lines. Here we detail the main features of the master's degree and the experience acquired in three years, including a comparative opinion survey to the students. We also describe the facilities at the Faculty of Engineering consisting of a specific classroom (Aula EspaZio Gela), an Astronomical Observatory, and different laboratories.

The Pan-STARRS1 Survey Data Release

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, Kenneth C.; Pan-STARRS Team

2017-01-01

The first Pan-STARRS1 Science Mission is complete and an initial Data Release 1, or DR1, including a database of measured attributes, stacked images, and metadata of the 3PI Survey, will be available from the STScI MAST archive. This release will contain all stationary objects with mean and stack photometry registered on the GAIA astrometric frame.The characteristics of the Pan-STARRS1 Surveys will be presented, including image quality, depth, cadence, and coverage. Measured attributes include PSF model magnitudes, aperture magnitudes, Kron Magnitudes, radial moments, Petrosian magnitudes, DeVaucoulers, Exponential, and Sersic magnitudes for extended objects. Images include total intensity, variance, and masks.An overview of both DR1 and the second data release DR2, to follow in the spring of 2017, will be presented. DR2 will add all time domain data and individual warped images. We will also report on the status of the Pan-STARRS2 Observatory and ongoing science with Pan-STARRS. The science from the PS1 surveys has included results in many t fields of astronomy from Near Earth Objects to cosmology.The Pan-STARRS1 Surveys have been made possible through contributions of the Institute for Astronomy of the University of Hawaii; the Pan-STARRS Project Office; the Max-Planck Society and its participating institutes: the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg and the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Garching; The Johns Hopkins University; Durham University; the University of Edinburgh; Queen's University Belfast; the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Incorporated; the National Central University of Taiwan; the Space Telescope Science Institute; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grants No. NNX08AR22G, NNX12AR65G, NNX14AM74G issued through the Planetary Science Division of the NASA Science Mission Directorate; the National Science Foundation under Grant No. AST-1238877; the University of Maryland; the Eotvos Lorand University; and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Wide-angle Optical Telescope for the EUSO Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hillman, L. W.; Takahaski, Y.; Zuccaro, A.; Lamb, D.; Pitalo, K.; Lopado, A.; Keys, A.

2003-01-01

Future spacebased air shower experiments, including the planned Extreme Universe Space Observatory (EUSO) mission, require a wide-angle telescope in the near-UV wavelengths 330 - 400 nm. Widest possible target aperture of earth's atmosphere, such as greater than 10(exp 5) square kilometers sr, can be viewed within the field-of-view of 30 degrees from space. EUSO's optical design is required to be compact, being constrained by the allocated mass and diameter for use in space. Two doublesided Fresnel lenses with 2.5-m diameter are chosen for the baseline design. It satisfies the imaging resolution of 0.1 degree over the 30-degree field of view.

KSC-08pd0767

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians use a socket wrench equipped with a torque meter to tighten the bolts holding one of twin solar arrays to NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-99pp0977

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-07-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Mrs. Lalitha Chandrasekhar (right), wife of the late Indian-American Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, addresses the media and other invited guests in the TRW Media Hospitality Tent at the NASA Press Site at KSC as Dr. Alan Bunner, Science Program Director, Structure and Evolution of the Universe, Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., looks on. The name "Chandra," a shortened version of her husband's name which he preferred among friends and colleagues, was chosen in a contest to rename the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility. "Chandra" also means "Moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit. The observatory is scheduled to be launched aboard Columbia on Space Shuttle mission STS-93

KSC-08pd0653

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians secure NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, onto a work stand. There GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0646

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, sits uncovered before its move to a work stand in the facility for a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0768

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, one of twin solar arrays awaits processing as General Dynamics technicians install the other of the pair on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

An experiment to fly on mission STS-93 is prepared at Life Sciences Building, CCAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

In the KSC Life Sciences Building, Hangar L, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Mark Rupert, with BioServe Space Technologies, checks the canisters, or incubators, that will hold an experiment to fly on mission STS-93. The incubators will hold a mix of fruit fly embryos and larvae to examine the effects of microgravity and space flight on the development of neural connections between specific motor neurons and their targets in muscle fibers. The incubators are part of a Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), which can start bioprocessing reactions by mixing or heating a sample and can also initiate multiple-step, sequential reactions in a technique called phased processing. The primary payload of mission STS-93 is the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. The target launch date for STS-93 is July 9, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, from Launch Pad 39B.

An experiment to fly on mission STS-93 is prepared at Life Sciences Building, CCAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

In the KSC Life Sciences Building, Hangar L, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Jake Freeman and Mark Rupert, with BioServe Space Technologies, check canisters, or incubators, that will hold fruit fly embryos and larvae for an experiment to fly on mission STS-93. The experiment will examine the effects of microgravity and space flight on the development of neural connections between specific motor neurons and their targets in muscle fibers. The incubators are part of the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), which can start bioprocessing reactions by mixing or heating a sample and can also initiate multiple-step, sequential reactions in a technique called phased processing. The primary payload of mission STS-93 is the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe. The target launch date for STS-93 is July 9, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, from Launch Pad 39B.

Calibrating the IXPE observatory from ground to space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muleri, Fabio; Baldini, Luca; Baumgartner, Wayne; Evangelista, Yuri; Fabiani, Sergio; Kolodziejczak, Jeffery; Latronico, Luca; Lefevre, Carlo; O'Dell, Stephen L.; Ramsey, Brian; Sgrò, Carmelo; Soffitta, Paolo; Tennant, Allyn; Weisskopf, Martin C.

2017-08-01

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) will be the next SMEX mission launched by NASA in 2021 in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI). IXPE will perform groundbreaking measurements of imaging polarization in X-rays for a number of different classes of sources with three identical telescopes, finally (re)opening a window in the high energy Universe after more than 40 years since the first pioneering results. The unprecedented sensitivity of IXPE to polarization poses peculiar requirements on the payload calibration, e.g. the use of polarized and completely unpolarized radiation, both on ground and in orbit, and can not rely on a systematic comparison with results obtained by previous observatories. In this paper, we will present the IXPE calibration plan, describing both calibrations which will be performed on the detectors at INAF-IAPS in Rome (Italy) and the calibration on the mirror and detector assemblies which will be carried out at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. On orbit calibrations, performed with calibrations sources mounted on a filter wheel and placed in front of each detector when necessary, will be presented as well.

Calibrating the IXPE Observatory from Ground to Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muleri, Fabio; Baldini, Luca; Baumgartner, Wayne; Evangelista, Yuri; Fabiani, Sergio; Kolodziejczak, Jeffery; Latronico, Luca; Lefevre, Carlo; O'Dell, Stephen L.; Ramsey, Brian;

Image of the Quasar 3C 273 Taken by the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

This image is an observation of Quasar 3C 273 by the High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO)-2/Einstein Observatory. It reveals the presence of a new source (upper left) with a red shift that indicates that it is about 10 billion light years away. Quasars are mysterious, bright, star-like objects apparently located at the very edge of the visible universe. Although no bigger than our solar system, they radiate as much visible light as a thousand galaxies. Quasars also emit radio signals and were previously recognized as x-ray sources. The HEAO-2, the first imaging and largest x-ray telescope built to date, was capable of producing actual photographs of x-ray objects. Shortly after launch, the HEAO-2 was nicknamed the Einstein Observatory by its scientific experimenters in honor of the centernial of the birth of Albert Einstein, whose concepts of relativity and gravitation have influenced much of modern astrophysics, particularly x-ray astronomy. The HEAO-2 was designed and developed by TRW, Inc. under the project management of the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Shuttle Astronauts Visit NASA's X-Ray Observatory Operations Control Center in Cambridge to Coordinate Plans for Launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-06-01

CAMBRIDGE, MASS.-- June 25, 1998 Eileen Collins, the first U.S. woman commanderof a Space Shuttle mission and her fellow astronauts for NASA s STS-93 mission toured the Operations Control Center (OCC) for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) today. AXAF is scheduled for launch on January 26, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. They met with the staff of the OCC and discussed how the status of the observatory will be monitored while in the shuttle bay and during deployment. "We are honored to have this historic shuttle crew visit us and familiarize themselves with the OCC," said Harvey Tananbaum, director of the AXAF Science Center, which operates the OCC for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory through a contract with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. "It is appropriate that a pathbreaking shuttle mission will deploy the premier X-ray observatory of this century." AXAF is the third of NASA s Great Observatories along with the Hubble Space Telescope and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. It will observe in greater detail than ever before the hot, violent regions of the universe that cannot be seen with optical telescopes. Exploding stars, black holes and vast clouds of gas in galaxy clusters are among the fascinating objects that AXAF is designed to study. The satellite is currently in the final stages of testing at TRW Space and Electronics Group,the prime contractor, in Redondo Beach, California. In late August it will be flown aboard a specially-outfitted Air Force C-5 aircraft to Kennedy Space Center in Florida where it will be integrated with a Boeing booster and then installed in the Shuttle bay. The shuttle crew that will take AXAF into space includes Collins (Col., USAF), Jeffrey Ashby (Cmdr., USN), pilot; Steven Hawley, Ph.D., mission specialist; Catherine Cady Coleman, Ph.D. (Major, USAF), mission specialist; and Michel Tognini (Col., French Air Force), mission specialist. While visiting the OCC the crew learned how critical data (temperatures, voltages, etc.,) will be monitored while AXAF is in the bay of the shuttle. This information will be relayed to the shuttle from the OCC via Johnson Space Center. The condition of the satellite during launch and the first few orbits will determine if it can be sent on its way. Unlike the Hubble Space telescope, AXAF will not be serviceable after it is in orbit. When the satellite has been released into space from the shuttle bay, a built in propulsion system will boost it into a large elliptical orbit around Earth. The nearest the observatory will come to Earth is 6,200 miles and its furthest point will be more than a third of the way to the moon. This means that the telescope will have approximately 52 hours of observing time each orbit. AXAF images will show fifty times more detail than any previous X-ray telescope. The revolutionary telescope combines the ability to make sharp images while measuring precisely the energies of X-rays coming from cosmic sources. The impact AXAF will have on X-ray astronomy can be compared to the difference between a fuzzy black and white and a sharp color picture.

SOFIA science instruments: commissioning, upgrades and future opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Erin C.; Miles, John W.; Helton, L. Andrew; Sankrit, Ravi; Andersson, B. G.; Becklin, Eric E.; De Buizer, James M.; Dowell, C. D.; Dunham, Edward W.; Güsten, Rolf; Harper, Doyal A.; Herter, Terry L.; Keller, Luke D.; Klein, Randolf; Krabbe, Alfred; Logsdon, Sarah; Marcum, Pamela M.; McLean, Ian S.; Reach, William T.; Richter, Matthew J.; Roellig, Thomas L.; Sandell, Göran; Savage, Maureen L.; Temi, Pasquale; Vacca, William D.; Vaillancourt, John E.; Van Cleve, Jeffrey E.; Young, Erick T.

2014-07-01

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is the world's largest airborne observatory, featuring a 2.5 meter effective aperture telescope housed in the aft section of a Boeing 747SP aircraft. SOFIA's current instrument suite includes: FORCAST (Faint Object InfraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope), a 5-40 μm dual band imager/grism spectrometer developed at Cornell University; HIPO (High-speed Imaging Photometer for Occultations), a 0.3-1.1μm imager built by Lowell Observatory; GREAT (German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies), a multichannel heterodyne spectrometer from 60-240 μm, developed by a consortium led by the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy; FLITECAM (First Light Infrared Test Experiment CAMera), a 1-5 μm wide-field imager/grism spectrometer developed at UCLA; FIFI-LS (Far-Infrared Field-Imaging Line Spectrometer), a 42-200 μm IFU grating spectrograph completed by University Stuttgart; and EXES (Echelon-Cross-Echelle Spectrograph), a 5-28 μm highresolution spectrometer designed at the University of Texas and being completed by UC Davis and NASA Ames Research Center. HAWC+ (High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera) is a 50-240 μm imager that was originally developed at the University of Chicago as a first-generation instrument (HAWC), and is being upgraded at JPL to add polarimetry and new detectors developed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). SOFIA will continually update its instrument suite with new instrumentation, technology demonstration experiments and upgrades to the existing instrument suite. This paper details the current instrument capabilities and status, as well as the plans for future instrumentation.

Next generation of space based sensor for application in the SSA space weather domain.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jansen, Frank; Kudela, Karel; Behrens, Joerg

Next generation of space based sensor for application in the SSA space weather domain. F. Jansen1, K. Kudela2, J. Behrens1 and NESTEC consortium3 1DLR, Bremen, Germany 2IEP SAS Kosice, Slovakia 3NESTEC consortium members (DLR Bremen, DESY Hamburg, MPS Katlenburg-Lindau, CTU Prague, University of Twente, IEP-SAS Kosice, UCL/MSSL, University of Manchester, University of Surrey, Hermanus Magnetic Observatory, North-West University Potchefsroom, University of Montreal) High energy solar and galactic cosmic rays have twofold importance for the SSA space weather domain. Cosmic rays have dangerous effects for space, air and ground based assets, but on the other side cosmic rays are direct measure tools for real time space weather warning. A review of space weather related SSA results from operating global cosmic ray networks (especially those by neutron monitors and by muon directional telescopes), its limitations and main questions to be solved, is presented. Especially those recent results, received in real time and with high temporal resolution, are reviewed and discussed. In addition the relevance of these monitors and telescopes in forecasting geomagnetic disturbances are checked. Based on this study result, a next generation of highly miniaturized hybrid silicon pixel device (Medipix sensor) will be described for the following, beyond state-of-the-art application: a SSA satellite for high energy solar and galactic cosmic ray spectrum measurement, with a space plasma environment data package and CME real time imaging by means of cosmic rays. All data management and processing will be carried out on the satellite in real time. Insofar a high reduction of data and transmission to ground station of finalized space weather relevant data and images are foreseen.

Mrs. Chandrasekhar addresses the media in TRW Media Hospitality Tent

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Mrs. Lalitha Chandrasekhar (at podium), wife of the late Indian- American Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, addresses the media and other invited guests in the TRW Media Hospitality Tent at the NASA Press Site at KSC. Other participants in the program (seated facing the audience, left to right) are the winners of the contest to rename the telescope, Jatila van der Veen, academic coordinator and lecturer, Physics Dept., University of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Tyrel Johnson, high school student, Laclede, Idaho; Joanne Maguire, vice-president and general manager, TRW Space & Laser Programs Division; and Dr. Alan Bunner, Science Program Director, Structure and Evolution of the Universe, Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. The name 'Chandra,' a shortened version of Chandrasekhar, was the name the Nobel Laureate preferred among friends and colleagues. 'Chandra' also means 'Moon' or 'luminous' in Sanskrit. The observatory is scheduled to be launched aboard Columbia on Space Shuttle mission STS-93.

KSC-08pd0168A

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers in Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida get ready to remove the lid on the truck trailer to offload the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage. Visible is the engine of the first stage. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-99pp0978

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-07-19

Mrs. Lalitha Chandrasekhar (at podium), wife of the late Indian-American Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, addresses the media and other invited guests in the TRW Media Hospitality Tent at the NASA Press Site at KSC. Other participants in the program (seated facing the audience, left to right) are the winners of the contest to rename the telescope, Jatila van der Veen, academic coordinator and lecturer, Physics Dept., University of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Tyrel Johnson, high school student, Laclede, Idaho; Joanne Maguire, vice-president and general manager, TRW Space & Laser Programs Division; and Dr. Alan Bunner, Science Program Director, Structure and Evolution of the Universe, Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. The name "Chandra," a shortened version of Chandrasekhar, was the name the Nobel Laureate preferred among friends and colleagues. "Chandra" also means "Moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit. The observatory is scheduled to be launched aboard Columbia on Space Shuttle mission STS-93

The INTErnational Gamma Ray Astrophysics Laboratory: INTEGRAL Highlights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubertini, Pietro; Bazzano, Angela

2014-04-01

The INTEGRAL Space Observatory was selected as the second Medium size mission (M2) of the ESAs Horizon 2000 vision programme. INTEGRAL is the first high angular and spectral resolution hard X-ray and soft γ-ray observatory with a wide band spectral response ranging from 3 keV up to 10 MeV energy band. This capability is supplemented by an unprecedented sensitivity enhanced by the 3 days orbit allowing long and uninterrupted observations over very wide field of view (up to ~ 1000 squared degrees to zero response) and sub-ms time resolution. Part of the observatory success is due to its capability to link the high energy sky with the lower energy band. The complementarity and synergy with pointing soft X-ray missions such as XMM-Newton and CHANDRA and more recently with NuSTAR is a strategic feature to link the "thermal" and the "non-thermal" Universe observed at higher energies by space missions such as Fermi and AGILE and ground based TeV observatories sensitive to extremely high energies. INTEGRAL was launched on 17 October 2002 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakistan) aboard a Proton rocket as part of the Russian contribution to the mission, and has successfully spent almost 11 years in orbit. In view of its successful science outcome the ESA Space Programme Committee haw recently approved its scientific operation till the end of 2016. To date the spacecraft, ground segment and scientific payload are in excellent state-of-health, and INTEGRAL is continuing its scientific operations, originally planned for a 5-year technical design and scientific nominal operation plan. This paper summarizes the current INTEGRAL scientific achievements and future prospects, with particular regard to the high energy domain.

Briefings Set for Launch of Next "Great Observatory" in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1999-06-01

NASA's next Space Shuttle flight will provide astronomers with a new look at the universe and make history with NASA's first female mission commander. Reporters can get an overview of the mission at a series of briefings July 7. The briefings will begin at 9 a.m. EDT at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The five-day flight is scheduled for launch no earlier than July 20. STS-93 will be led by U.S. Air Force Colonel Eileen Collins, the first woman to command an American space mission. The flight's primary objective will be to deploy the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the third of NASA's Great Observatories. Collins and her crew of four will carry Chandra, the heaviest payload ever deployed from the shuttle, into orbit and deploy it approximately seven hours after launch. An upper stage will carry the observatory to its final orbit, more than one-third of the way to the Moon. Chandra will allow scientists to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exploding stars, black holes and other exotic environments to help them understand the structure and evolution of the universe. The first two briefings will provide an overview of mission operations and science to be conducted by Chandra. The NASA Television Video File will follow at noon. The crew press conference will begin at 2 p.m. EDT. The briefings will be carried live on NASA Television, with question-and-answer capability for reporters covering the event from participating NASA centers. NASA Television is available on transponder 9C of the GE-2 satellite at 85 degrees West longitude, vertical polarization, frequency 3880 MHz, audio of 6.8 MHz. Media planning to attend the briefings must notify the Johnson Space Center newsroom by June 28 to ensure proper badging. Each reporter's name, affiliation and country of citizenship should be faxed to the newsroom at 281/483-2000. IMPORTANT NOTE: Reporters can schedule in-person or telephone interviews STS-93 crew. These interviews will begin at about 3:15 p.m. EDT. Media wishing to participate must make their request to the Johnson Space Center Newsroom by June 28. STS-93 PREFLIGHT BRIEFINGS July 7, 1999 9 a.m. EDT Mission Overview Bryan Austin, STS-93 Lead Flight Director, Johnson Space Center Fred Wojtalik, Chandra Program Manager, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL Ken Ledbetter, Director, Mission and Payload Development Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 10:30 a.m. EDT Chandra Science Briefing Dr. Ed Weiler, Associate Administrator, Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters Dr. Alan Bunner, Chandra Program Scientist, NASA Headquarters Dr. Martin Weisskopf, Chandra Project Scientist, Marshall Space Flight Center Dr. Harvey Tananbaum, Director, Chandra X-Ray Center, Cambridge, MA Dr. Kimberly Weaver, Astrophysicist, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Noon EDT NASA TV Video File 2 p.m. EDT STS-93 Crew Press Conference Eileen M. Collins, Mission Commander Jeffrey S. Ashby, Pilot Catherine G. Coleman, Mission Specialist -1 Steven A. Hawley, Mission Specialist-2 Michel Tognini, Mission Specialist-3 3:15 p.m. EDT STS-93 Crew Round Robins (not televised)

The Sharjah Center for Astronomy and Space Sciences (SCASS 2015): Concept and Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naimiy, Hamid M. K. Al

2015-08-01

The Sharjah Center for Astronomy and Space Sciences (SCASS) was launched this year 2015 at the University of Sharjah in the UAE. The center will serve to enrich research in the fields of astronomy and space sciences, promote these fields at all educational levels, and encourage community involvement in these sciences. SCASS consists of:The Planetarium: Contains a semi-circle display screen (18 meters in diameter) installed at an angle of 10° which displays high-definition images using an advanced digital display system consisting of seven (7) high-performance light-display channels. The Planetarium Theatre offers a 200-seat capacity with seats placed at highly calculated angles. The Planetarium also contains an enormous star display (Star Ball - 10 million stars) located in the heart of the celestial dome theatre.The Sharjah Astronomy Observatory: A small optical observatory consisting of a reflector telescope 45 centimeters in diameter to observe the galaxies, stars and planets. Connected to it is a refractor telescope of 20 centimeters in diameter to observe the sun and moon with highly developed astronomical devices, including a digital camera (CCD) and a high-resolution Echelle Spectrograph with auto-giving and remote calibration ports.Astronomy, space and physics educational displays for various age groups include:An advanced space display that allows for viewing the universe during four (4) different time periods as seen by:1) The naked eye; 2) Galileo; 3) Spectrographic technology; and 4) The space technology of today.A space technology display that includes space discoveries since the launching of the first satellite in 1940s until now.The Design Concept for the Center (450,000 sq. meters) was originated by HH Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, and depicts the dome as representing the sun in the middle of the center surrounded by planetary bodies in orbit to form the solar system as seen in the sky.

A New Test of Copper and Zinc Abundances in Late-type Stars Using Ultraviolet Cu II and Zn II Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roederer, Ian U.; Barklem, Paul S.

2018-04-01

We present new abundances derived from Cu I, Cu II, Zn I, and Zn II lines in six warm (5766 ≤ {T}eff} ≤ 6427 K), metal-poor (‑2.50 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ ‑0.95) dwarf and subgiant (3.64 ≤ log g ≤ 4.44) stars. These abundances are derived from archival high-resolution ultraviolet spectra from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based optical spectra from several observatories. Ionized Cu and Zn are the majority species, and abundances derived from Cu II and Zn II lines should be largely insensitive to departures from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). We find good agreement between the [Zn/H] ratios derived separately from Zn I and Zn II lines, suggesting that departures from LTE are, at most, minimal (≲0.1 dex). We find that the [Cu/H] ratios derived from Cu II lines are 0.36 ± 0.06 dex larger than those derived from Cu I lines in the most metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] < ‑1.8), suggesting that LTE underestimates the Cu abundance derived from Cu I lines. The deviations decrease in more metal-rich stars. Our results validate previous theoretical non-LTE calculations for both Cu and Zn, supporting earlier conclusions that the enhancement of [Zn/Fe] in metal-poor stars is legitimate, and the deficiency of [Cu/Fe] in metal-poor stars may not be as large as previously thought. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. This work is supported by NASA through grant number AR-15051 and makes use of data from programs GO-7348, GO-8197, GO-9804, GO-14161, and GO-14672. This research has also made use of the Keck Observatory Archive (KOA), which is operated by the W.M. Keck Observatory and the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute (NExScI), under contract with NASA. These data are associated with programs C314Hr, H6aH, and H283Hr. Other data have been obtained from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Science Archive Facility. These data are associated with programs 65.L-0507(A), 67.D-0439(A), and 080.D-0347(A). This work has also made use of data collected from the McDonald Observatory of the University of Texas at Austin.

Evolution of the Fraction of Clumpy Galaxies at 0.2 < z < 1.0 in the COSMOS Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murata, K. L.; Kajisawa, M.; Taniguchi, Y.; Kobayashi, M. A. R.; Shioya, Y.; Capak, P.; Ilbert, O.; Koekemoer, A. M.; Salvato, M.; Scoville, N. Z.

2014-05-01

Using the Hubble Space Telescope/Advanced Camera for Surveys data in the COSMOS field, we systematically searched clumpy galaxies at 0.2 < z < 1.0 and investigated the fraction of clumpy galaxies and its evolution as a function of stellar mass, star formation rate (SFR), and specific SFR (SSFR). The fraction of clumpy galaxies in star-forming galaxies with M star > 109.5 M ⊙ decreases with time from ~0.35 at 0.8 < z < 1.0 to ~0.05 at 0.2 < z < 0.4, irrespective of the stellar mass, although the fraction tends to be slightly lower for massive galaxies with M star > 1010.5 M ⊙ at each redshift. On the other hand, the fraction of clumpy galaxies increases with increasing both SFR and SSFR in all the redshift ranges we investigated. In particular, we found that the SSFR dependences of the fractions are similar among galaxies with different stellar masses, and the fraction at a given SSFR does not depend on the stellar mass in each redshift bin. The evolution of the fraction of clumpy galaxies from z ~ 0.9 to z ~ 0.3 seems to be explained by such SSFR dependence of the fraction and the evolution of SSFRs of star-forming galaxies. The fraction at a given SSFR also appears to decrease with time, but this can be due to the effect of the morphological k correction. We suggest that these results are understood by the gravitational fragmentation model for the formation of giant clumps in disk galaxies, where the gas mass fraction is a crucial parameter. Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. Also based on observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under NASA contract 1407. Also based on data collected at the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; the XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA; the European Southern Observatory under Large Program 175.A-0839, Chile; Kitt Peak National Observatory, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which are operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation; and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope with MegaPrime/MegaCam operated as a joint project by the CFHT Corporation, CEA/DAPNIA, the NRC and CADC of Canada, the CNRS of France, TERAPIX, and the University of Hawaii.

Beyond Einstein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertz, P.

2003-03-01

The Structure and Evolution of the Universe (SEU) theme within NASA's Office of Space Science seeks to explore and understand the dynamic transformations of energy in the Universe - the entire web of biological and physical interactions that determine the evolution of our cosmic habitat. This search for understanding will enrich the human spirit and inspire a new generation of explorers, scientists, and engineers. To that end, NASA's strategic planning process has generated a new Roadmap to enable those goals. Called "Beyond Einstein", this Roadmap identifies three science objectives for the SEU theme: (1) Find out what powered the Big Bang; (2) Observe how black holes manipulate space, time, and matter; and (3) Identify the mysterious dark energy pullingthe Universe apart. These objectives can be realized through a combination of large observatories (Constellation-X, LISA), moderate sized, PI-led missions (the Einstein Probes), and a contuinuing program of technology development, research and analysis, and education/public outreach. In this presentation, NASA's proposed Beyond Einstein Program will be described. The full Roadmap is available at http://universe.nasa.gov/.

The Resolved Outflow from 3C 48

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shih, Hsin-Yi; Stockton, Alan

2014-10-01

We investigate the properties of the high-velocity outflow driven by the young radio jet of 3C 48, a compact-steep-spectrum source. We use the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on board the Hubble Space Telecope to obtain (1) low-resolution UV and optical spectra and (2) multi-slit medium-resolution spectra of the ionized outflow. With supporting data from ground-based spectrographs, we are able to accurately measure the ratios of diagnostic emission lines such as [O III] λ5007, [O III] λ3727, [N II] λ6548, Hα, Hβ, [Ne V] λ3425, and [Ne III] λ3869. We fit the observed emission-line ratios using a range of ionization models, powered by active galactic nucleus (AGN) radiation and shocks, produced by the MAPPINGS code. We have determined that AGN radiation is likely the dominant ionization source. The outflow's density is estimated to be in the range n = 103-104 cm-3, the mass is ~6 × 106 M ⊙, and the metallicity is likely equal to or higher than solar. Compared with the typical outflows associated with more evolved radio jets, this young outflow is denser, less massive, and more metal rich. Multi-slit observations allow us to construct a two-dimensional velocity map of the outflow that shows a wide range of velocities with distinct velocity components, suggesting a wide-angle clumpy outflow. Based in part on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with program GO-11574. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. Some of the observations included were obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brazil) and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (Argentina).

CSU's MWV Observatory: A Facility for Research, Education and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hood, John; Carpenter, N. D.; McCarty, C. B.; Samford, J. H.; Johnson, M.; Puckett, A. W.; Williams, R. N.; Cruzen, S. T.

2014-01-01

The Mead Westvaco Observatory (MWVO), located in Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center, is dedicated to education and research in astronomy through hands-on engagement and public participation. The MWVO has recently received funding to upgrade from a 16-inch Meade LX-200 telescope to a PlaneWave CDK 24-inch Corrected Dall-Kirkham Astrograph telescope. This and other technological upgrades will allow this observatory to stream live webcasts for astronomical events, allowing a worldwide public audience to become a part of the growing astronomical community. This poster will explain the upgrades that are currently in progress as well as the results from the current calibrations. The goal of these upgrades is to provide facilities capable of both research-class projects and widespread use in education and public outreach. We will present our initial calibration and tests of the observatory equipment, as well as its use in webcasts of astronomical events, in solar observing through the use of specialized piggy-backed telescopes, and in research into such topics as asteroids, planetary and nebula imaging. We will describe a pilot research project on asteroid orbit refinement and light curves, to be carried out by Columbus State University students. We will also outline many of the K-12 educational and public outreach activities we have designed for these facilities. Support and funding for the acquisition and installation of the new PlaneWave CDK 24 has been provided by the International Museum and Library Services via the Museums for America Award.

The Role of the Virtual Astronomical Observatory in the Era of Big Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berriman, G. B.; Hanisch, R. J.; Lazio, T. J.

2013-01-01

The Virtual Observatory (VO) is realizing global electronic integration of astronomy data. The rapid growth in the size and complexity of data sets is transforming the computing landscape in astronomy. One of the long-term goals of the U.S. VO project, the Virtual Astronomical Observatory (VAO), is development of an information backbone that responds to this growth. Such a backbone will, when complete, provide innovative mechanisms for fast discovery of, and access to, massive data sets, and services that enable distributed storage, publication processing of large datasets. All these services will be built so that new projects can incorporate them as part of their data management and processing plans. Services under development to date include a general purpose indexing scheme for fast access to data sets, a cross-comparison engine that operate on catalogs of 1 billion records or more, and an interface for managing distributed data sets and connecting them to data discovery and analysis tools. The VAO advises projects on technology solutions for their data access and processing needs, and recently advised the Sagan Workshop on using cloud computing to support hands-on data analysis sessions for 150+ participants. Acknowledgements: The Virtual Astronomical Observatory (VAO) is managed by the VAO, LLC, a non-profit company established as a partnership of the Associated Universities, Inc. and the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. The VAO is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Carbon Isotopes in Globular Clusters Down to the Bump in the Luminosity Function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shetrone, Matthew D.

2003-03-01

We find that the 12C/13C ratio evolves from high values (>20) below the bump in the luminosity function (BLF) to near the equilibrium value of the CNO cycle above the BLF in the globular clusters (GCs) NGC 6528 and M4. This is the first time that the predicted decline of the 12C/13C ratios due to the extra mixing at the BLF is detected in a GC. In M4, a slight decline from 12C/13C = 10 just above the BLF at MV=+0.5 to 12C/13C = 4 at MV=-0.6 is detected, suggesting that some additional mixing may occur beyond the BLF in this cluster. Isotope ratios are measured and found to be constant in the GCs NGC 6553 and 47 Tucanae down to just above the BLF of those GCs. Based on observations made in part at the W. M. Keck Observatory by the Gemini staff, supported by the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities of Research in Astronomy, Inc., on behalf of the international Gemini partnership of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the UK, and the US. The W. M. Keck Observatory is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-03-16

This photo shows the High Resolution Camera (HRC) for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), being integrated with the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) in Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) 24-foot Vacuum Chamber at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most poweful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRC is one of the two instruments used at the focus of CXO, where it will detect x-rays reflected from an assembly of eight mirrors. The unique capabilities of the HRC stem from the close match of its imaging capability to the focusing of the mirrors. When used with CXO mirrors, the HRC makes images that reveal detail as small as one-half an arc second. This is equivalent to the ability to read a newspaper at a distance of 1 kilometer. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components relatedto x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-03-16

This photo shows the High Resolution Camera (HRC) for the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO), formerly Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF), being integrated with the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) in Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) 24-foot Vacuum Chamber at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF). The AXAF was renamed CXO in 1999. The CXO is the most sophisticated and the world's most powerful x-ray telescope ever built. It observes x-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The HRC is one of the two instruments used at the focus of CXO, where it will detect x-rays reflected from an assembly of eight mirrors. The unique capabilities of the HRC stem from the close match of its imaging capability to the focusing of the mirrors. When used with CXO mirrors, the HRC makes images that reveal detail as small as one-half an arc second. This is equivalent to the ability to read a newspaper at a distance of 1 kilometer. MSFC's XRCF is the world's largest, most advanced laboratory for simulating x-ray emissions from distant celestial objects. It produces a space-like environment in which components related to x-ray telescope imaging are tested and the quality of their performances in space is predicted. TRW, Inc. was the prime contractor for the development of the CXO and NASA's MSFC was responsible for its project management. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory controls science and flight operations of the CXO for NASA from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The CXO was launched July 22, 1999 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93).

Feedback and Feeding in the Context of Galaxy Evolution with SPICA: Direct Characterisation of Molecular Outflows and Inflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Alfonso, E.; Armus, L.; Carrera, F. J.; Charmandaris, V.; Efstathiou, A.; Egami, E.; Fernández-Ontiveros, J. A.; Fischer, J.; Granato, G. L.; Gruppioni, C.; Hatziminaoglou, E.; Imanishi, M.; Isobe, N.; Kaneda, H.; Koziel-Wierzbowska, D.; Malkan, M. A.; Martín-Pintado, J.; Mateos, S.; Matsuhara, H.; Miniutti, G.; Nakagawa, T.; Pozzi, F.; Rico-Villas, F.; Rodighiero, G.; Roelfsema, P.; Spinoglio, L.; Spoon, H. W. W.; Sturm, E.; van der Tak, F.; Vignali, C.; Wang, L.

2017-11-01

A far-infrared observatory such as the SPace Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics, with its unprecedented spectroscopic sensitivity, would unveil the role of feedback in galaxy evolution during the last 10 Gyr of the Universe (z = 1.5-2), through the use of far- and mid-infrared molecular and ionic fine structure lines that trace outflowing and infalling gas. Outflowing gas is identified in the far-infrared through P-Cygni line shapes and absorption blueshifted wings in molecular lines with high dipolar moments, and through emission line wings of fine-structure lines of ionised gas. We quantify the detectability of galaxy-scale massive molecular and ionised outflows as a function of redshift in AGN-dominated, starburst-dominated, and main-sequence galaxies, explore the detectability of metal-rich inflows in the local Universe, and describe the most significant synergies with other current and future observatories that will measure feedback in galaxies via complementary tracers at other wavelengths.

Early Scientific Results and Future Prospects for the Rejuvenated Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niedner, Malcolm B.

2010-01-01

Following the extraordinarily successful Servicing Mission 4 (SM4) of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in May of 2009, the Observatory is now fully equipped with a broad array of powerful science instruments that put it at the pinnacle of its scientific power. Relevant to the subject matter of the Beyond 2010 Conference, HST will be well-placed over the next five-plus years to advance our knowledge of the formation of high-redshift galaxies and their growth with cosmic time; the emergence of structure in the early universe via Dark Matter-driven gravitational instability; and the universe's expansion history and any resulting implications for the temporal character of Dark Energy. These are fitting projects for the iconic facility now celebrating its 20th anniversary in orbit.

KSC-08pd1630

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Under cloud-dotted blue sky, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, blasts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B aboard a Delta II rocket. Liftoff was at 12:05 p.m. EDT. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph, Kevin O'Connel

KSC-08pd1631

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Delta II rocket with NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, on top is bathed in smoke just after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B. Liftoff was at 12:05 p.m. EDT. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph, Kevin O'Connel

KSC-08pd1641

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B, flame and smoke mark the launch of the Delta II rocket with NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, aboard. Liftoff was at 12:05 p.m. EDT. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Jerry Cannon, Robert Murray

KSC-08pd1636

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Smoke rises to obscure the Delta II rocket with NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, aboard as it launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B. Liftoff was at 12:05 p.m. EDT. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Tony Gray, Regina Mitchell-Ryall

KSC-08pd1620

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B, NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, sits poised for launch atop the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket after rollback of the mobile service tower. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: Carleton Bailie photograph for United Launch Alliance

KSC-08pd1621

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B, NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, sits poised for launch atop the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket after rollback of the mobile service tower. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: Carleton Bailie photograph for United Launch Alliance

KSC-08pd1623

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B, NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, sits poised for launch atop the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket after rollback of the mobile service tower. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: Carleton Bailie photograph for United Launch Alliance

KSC-08pd1411

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The GLAST spacecraft arrives at pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard its transporter. At the pad, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope will be lifted into the mobile service tower and attached to the Delta II second stage. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. The launch date is targeted no earlier than June 3. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1622

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B, NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, sits poised for launch atop the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket after rollback of the mobile service tower. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: Carleton Bailie photograph for United Launch Alliance

KSC-08pd1640

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-06-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Smoke appears to grab at the Delta II rocket as it launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Pad 17-B with NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope , or GLAST, aboard. Liftoff was at 12:05 p.m. EDT. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Launch is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. June 11. Photo credit: NASA/Jerry Cannon, Robert Murray

KSC-08pd1128

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians check the NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft after being lowered toward the transporter. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1130

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians monitor NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft as it is lowered onto a transporter. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1127

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians lift and move via an overhead crane NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft onto a transporter. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1125

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians attach the cables to the overhead crane that will be used to lift NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1129

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the overhead crane continues to lower NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft onto the transporter. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1132

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians check various parts of NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft after its transfer to a transporter. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1131

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians check various parts of NASA's Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft after its transfer to a transporter. The spacecraft is being prepared for its move to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date is still to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Mike Kerley

KSC-08pd1357

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians begin lifting and moving NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft for its move to a payload attach fitting that will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd1353

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, spacecraft is being prepared for a move to an payload attach fitting, in the foreground, that will eventually be used to mate GLAST to the Delta II launch vehicle. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. A launch date still is to be determined. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

The e-ASTROGAM mission. Exploring the extreme Universe with gamma rays in the MeV - GeV range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Angelis, A.; Tatischeff, V.; Tavani, M.; Oberlack, U.; Grenier, I.; Hanlon, L.; Walter, R.; Argan, A.; von Ballmoos, P.; Bulgarelli, A.; Donnarumma, I.; Hernanz, M.; Kuvvetli, I.; Pearce, M.; Zdziarski, A.; Aboudan, A.; Ajello, M.; Ambrosi, G.; Bernard, D.; Bernardini, E.; Bonvicini, V.; Brogna, A.; Branchesi, M.; Budtz-Jorgensen, C.; Bykov, A.; Campana, R.; Cardillo, M.; Coppi, P.; De Martino, D.; Diehl, R.; Doro, M.; Fioretti, V.; Funk, S.; Ghisellini, G.; Grove, E.; Hamadache, C.; Hartmann, D. H.; Hayashida, M.; Isern, J.; Kanbach, G.; Kiener, J.; Knödlseder, J.; Labanti, C.; Laurent, P.; Limousin, O.; Longo, F.; Mannheim, K.; Marisaldi, M.; Martinez, M.; Mazziotta, M. N.; McEnery, J.; Mereghetti, S.; Minervini, G.; Moiseev, A.; Morselli, A.; Nakazawa, K.; Orleanski, P.; Paredes, J. M.; Patricelli, B.; Peyré, J.; Piano, G.; Pohl, M.; Ramarijaona, H.; Rando, R.; Reichardt, I.; Roncadelli, M.; Silva, R.; Tavecchio, F.; Thompson, D. J.; Turolla, R.; Ulyanov, A.; Vacchi, A.; Wu, X.; Zoglauer, A.

2017-10-01

e-ASTROGAM (`enhanced ASTROGAM') is a breakthrough Observatory space mission, with a detector composed by a Silicon tracker, a calorimeter, and an anticoincidence system, dedicated to the study of the non-thermal Universe in the photon energy range from 0.3 MeV to 3 GeV - the lower energy limit can be pushed to energies as low as 150 keV, albeit with rapidly degrading angular resolution, for the tracker, and to 30 keV for calorimetric detection. The mission is based on an advanced space-proven detector technology, with unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolution, combined with polarimetric capability. Thanks to its performance in the MeV-GeV domain, substantially improving its predecessors, e-ASTROGAM will open a new window on the non-thermal Universe, making pioneering observations of the most powerful Galactic and extragalactic sources, elucidating the nature of their relativistic outflows and their effects on the surroundings. With a line sensitivity in the MeV energy range one to two orders of magnitude better than previous generation instruments, e-ASTROGAM will determine the origin of key isotopes fundamental for the understanding of supernova explosion and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The mission will provide unique data of significant interest to a broad astronomical community, complementary to powerful observatories such as LIGO-Virgo-GEO600-KAGRA, SKA, ALMA, E-ELT, TMT, LSST, JWST, Athena, CTA, IceCube, KM3NeT, and the promise of eLISA.

KSC-99pp0730

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-06-22

Under the watchful eyes of Capt. George Hoggard (left), trainer with the KSC Fire Department, STS-93 Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) drives the M-113 armored personnel carrier during emergency egress training at the launch pad. Behind her is Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Commander Eileen M. Collins. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew participating are Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B

STS-93 Mission Specialist Coleman takes part in emergency egress training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

STS-93 Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) smiles for the photographer before climbing into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B.

STS-93 Mission Specialist Tognini takes part in emergency egress training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

STS-93 Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), pauses for the photographer before climbing into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B.

STS-93 Mission Specialist Coleman drives an M-113 during training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Under the watchful eyes of Capt. George Hoggard (left), trainer with the KSC Fire Department, STS-93 Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) drives the M-113 armored personnel carrier during emergency egress training at the launch pad. Behind her is Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Commander Eileen M. Collins. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew participating are Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B.

The STS-93 crew practice emergency egress training from Launch Pad 39B.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Inside an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad, the STS-93 crew take part in emergency egress training under the watchful eyes of Capt. George Hoggard (center), trainer with the KSC Fire Department. From left are Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, Commander Eileen M. Collins, Hoggard, Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.). Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. Tognini represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The training is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B.

STS-93 Pilot Ashby takes part in emergency egress training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

STS-93 Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby pauses for the photographer before climbing into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Commander Eileen M. Collins and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.), and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from comets in our solar system to quasars at the edge of the observable universe. Since X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, space-based observatories are necessary to study these phenomena and allow scientists to analyze some of the greatest mysteries of the universe. The targeted launch date for STS-93 is no earlier than July 20 at 12:36 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B.

Mrs. Chandrasekhar poses with contest winners

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Mrs. Lalitha Chandrasekhar (left), wife of the late Indian- American Nobel Laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, poses with a model of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the winners of the contest to rename the telescope in the TRW Media Hospitality Tent at the NASA Press Site at KSC. The winners of the contest are Jatila van der Veen (center), academic coordinator and lecturer, Physics Dept., University of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Tyrel Johnson (right), high school student, Laclede, Idaho. The name 'Chandra,' a shortened version of Chandrasekhar's name which he preferred among friends and colleagues, was chosen to honor the Nobel Laureate. 'Chandra' also means 'Moon' or 'luminous' in Sanskrit. The observatory is scheduled to be launched aboard Columbia on Space Shuttle mission STS-93.

KSC-99pc0191

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-10

In the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), workers prepare the shrouded Chandra X-ray Observatory for its lift to a vertical position. The telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

KSC-99pc0195

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-10

In the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), the shrouded Chandra X-ray Observatory achieves a vertical position via the overhead crane. The telescope will undergo final installation of associated electronic components; it will also be tested, fueled and mated with the Inertial Upper Stage booster. A set of integrated tests will follow. Chandra is scheduled for launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, on mission STS-93 . Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

SOFIA Science Working Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zmuldzinas, J.

1997-01-01

The SOFIA Science Working Group was established to help develop the plans and specifications for the next-generation airborne observatory ("SOFIA"), which is now under development. The P.I. has developed several astronomical instruments for the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, NASA's previous airborne astronomy platform (which was decommisioned in 1995 in preparation for SOFIA). SOFIA, which will be a 747 SP aircraft carrying a 2.7 meter diameter telescope, is a joint project sponsored by NASA and DLR (the German space agency), and is now under development by a consortium including Universities Space Research Association (USRA), Raytheon, Sterling Software, and United Airlines. Rather than develop the SOFIA observatory in-house, NASA decided to privatize the project by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP). The respondents to this RFP were consortia of private organizations which together had the required facilities and expertise to be able to carry out the project; the winner was the group led by USRA. One of the main roles of the SSWG was to help develop the technical specifications for the SOFIA observatory. In particular, the SSWG provided advice to NASA on the specifications that were written into the RFP, particularly those which had an important impact on the scientific productivity of the observatory. These specifications were discussed at the meetings of the SSWG, which were held primarily at NASA/Ames (in California) and at NASA Headquarters (in Washington DC). Apart from these meetings, members of the SSWG were expected to perform more detailed analyses of the impact of certain parameters and specifications on the performance of astronomical instruments. The SSWG ended its activities with the selection of the USRA team in January 1997.

High-Energy Astrophysics. American and Soviet Perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewin, Walter H. G. (Editor); Clark, George W. (Editor); Sunyaev, Rashid A. (Editor); Trivers, Kathleen Kearney (Editor); Abramson, David M. (Editor)

1991-01-01

The proceedings of the American-Soviet high energy astrophysics workshop, which was held at the Institute for Space Research in Moscow and the Abastumani Laboratory and Observatory in the republic of Georgia from June 18 to July 1, 1989, is presented. Topics discussed at the workshop include the inflationary universe; the large scale structure of the universe, the diffuse x-ray background; gravitational lenses, quasars, and active galactic nuclei (AGNs); infrared galaxies (results from IRAS); Supernova 1987A; millisecond radio pulsars; quasi-periodic oscillations in the x-ray flux of low mass X-ray binaries; and gamma ray bursts.

The FluxCompensator: Making Radiative Transfer Models of Hydrodynamical Simulations Directly Comparable to Real Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koepferl, Christine M.; Robitaille, Thomas P.

2017-11-01

When modeling astronomical objects throughout the universe, it is important to correctly treat the limitations of the data, for instance finite resolution and sensitivity. In order to simulate these effects, and to make radiative transfer models directly comparable to real observations, we have developed an open-source Python package called the FluxCompensator that enables the post-processing of the output of 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer codes, such as Hyperion. With the FluxCompensator, realistic synthetic observations can be generated by modeling the effects of convolution with arbitrary point-spread functions, transmission curves, finite pixel resolution, noise, and reddening. Pipelines can be applied to compute synthetic observations that simulate observatories, such as the Spitzer Space Telescope or the Herschel Space Observatory. Additionally, this tool can read in existing observations (e.g., FITS format) and use the same settings for the synthetic observations. In this paper, we describe the package as well as present examples of such synthetic observations.

The Kanzelhöhe Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pötzi, Werner; Temmer, Manuela; Veronig, Astrid; Hirtenfellner-Polanec, Wolfgang; Baumgartner, Dietmar

2013-04-01

Kanzelhöhe Observatory (KSO; kso.ac.at) located in the South of Austria is part of the Institute of Physics of the University of Graz. Since the early 1940s, the Sun has been observed in various layers and wavelengths. Currently, KSO provides high-cadence full-disk observations of the solar disk in three wavelengths: H-alpha line, Ca II K line, white light. Real-time images are published online. For scientific use, the data is processed, and immediately available to the scientific community after each observing day via the Kanzelhöhe Online Data Archive archive (KODA; kanzelhohe.uni-graz.at). KSO is part of the Global H-Alpha Network and is also one of the contributing stations for the international sunspot number. In the frame of ESA's Space Situational Awareness program, methods are currently under development for near-real image recognition with respect to solar flares and filaments. These data products will give valuable complementary information for the solar sources of space weather.

The FluxCompensator: Making Radiative Transfer Models of Hydrodynamical Simulations Directly Comparable to Real Observations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koepferl, Christine M.; Robitaille, Thomas P., E-mail: koepferl@usm.lmu.de

When modeling astronomical objects throughout the universe, it is important to correctly treat the limitations of the data, for instance finite resolution and sensitivity. In order to simulate these effects, and to make radiative transfer models directly comparable to real observations, we have developed an open-source Python package called the FluxCompensator that enables the post-processing of the output of 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer codes, such as Hyperion. With the FluxCompensator, realistic synthetic observations can be generated by modeling the effects of convolution with arbitrary point-spread functions, transmission curves, finite pixel resolution, noise, and reddening. Pipelines can be applied tomore » compute synthetic observations that simulate observatories, such as the Spitzer Space Telescope or the Herschel Space Observatory . Additionally, this tool can read in existing observations (e.g., FITS format) and use the same settings for the synthetic observations. In this paper, we describe the package as well as present examples of such synthetic observations.« less

KSC-99pc0182

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-02-09

In the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF), the STS-93 crew stands in front of the VPF Aft Flight Deck simulator, which is part of KSC's Cargo Integration Test Equipment. From left, they are Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, Commander Eileen M. Collins, Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman. Tognini represents France's space agency, the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). STS-93, scheduled to launch July 9 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, has the primary mission of the deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which is undergoing testing in the VPF. Formerly called the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, Chandra comprises three major elements: the spacecraft, the science instrument module (SIM), and the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. Chandra will allow scientists from around the world to see previously invisible black holes and high-temperature gas clouds, giving the observatory the potential to rewrite the books on the structure and evolution of our universe

Nex-Gen Space Observatory

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-26

U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), third from right, cuts the yellow ribbon presenting the James Webb Space Telescope permanent exhibit at the Maryland Science Center on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011 in Baltimore. Mikulski is joined by NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, far left; Adam Reiss, recipient of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics and professor of astronomy and physics at Johns Hopkins University; Jeffrey Grant, VP and General Manager of the Space Systems Division, Northrop Grumman; Van Reiner, President and CEO of the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore and Dr. John Grunsfeld, former astronaut and Deputy Director, Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), Baltimore. The Webb telescope will provide images of the first galaxies ever formed and explore planets around distant stars. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Radio Telescopes "Save the Day," Produce Data on Titan's Winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2005-02-01

In what some scientists termed "a surprising, almost miraculous turnabout," radio telescopes, including major facilities of the National Science Foundation's National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), have provided data needed to measure the winds encountered by the Huygens spacecraft as it descended through the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan last month -- measurements feared lost because of a communication error between Huygens and its "mother ship" Cassini. The Green Bank Telescope The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope CREDIT: NRAO/AUI/NSF (Click on image for GBT gallery) A global network of radio telescopes, including the NRAO's Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia and eight of the ten antennas of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), recorded the radio signal from Huygens during its descent on January 14. Measurements of the frequency shift caused by the craft's motion, called Doppler shift, are giving planetary scientists their first direct information about Titan's winds. "When we began working with our international partners on this project, we thought our telescopes would be adding to the wind data produced by the two spacecraft themselves. Now, with the ground-based telescopes providing the only information about Titan's winds, we are extremely proud that our facilities are making such a key contribution to our understanding of this fascinating planetary body," said Dr. Fred K.Y. Lo, Director of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). Early analysis of the radio-telescope data shows that Titan's wind flows from west to east, in the direction of the moon's rotation, at all altitudes. The highest wind speed, nearly 270 mph, was measured at an altitude of about 75 miles. Winds are weak near Titan's surface and increase in speed slowly up to an altitude of about 37 miles, where the spacecraft encountered highly-variable winds that scientists think indicate a region of vertical wind shear. The ground-based Doppler measurements were carried out and processed jointly by scientists from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL, USA), and the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE, The Netherlands) working within an international Doppler Wind Experiment team. The GBT made the first detection of Huygens' radio signal during the descent, and gave flight controllers and scientists the first indication that the spacecraft's parachute had deployed and that it was "alive" after entering Titan's atmosphere. The radio-telescope measurements also indicated changes in Huygens' speed when it exchanged parachutes and when it landed on Titan's surface. The original plan for gauging Titan's winds called for measuring the Doppler shift in the probe's signal frequency both by Cassini and by ground-based radio telescopes in the U.S., Australia, Japan and China. Cassini was best positioned to gain information on the east-west component of the winds, and the ground-based telescopes were positioned to help learn about the north-south wind component. Unfortunately, the communications error lost all the wind data from Cassini. The VLBA The VLBA CREDIT: NRAO/AUI/NSF (Click on image for VLBA gallery) "I've never felt such exhilarating highs and dispiriting lows than those experienced when we first detected the signal from the GBT, indicating 'all's well,' and then discovering that we had no signal at the operations center, indicating 'all's lost.' The truth, as we have now determined, lies somewhat closer to the former than the latter." said Michael Bird of the University of Bonn. In addition to measuring the motion-generated frequency shift of Huygens' radio signal, radio telescopes also were used to make extremely precise measurements of the probe's position (to within three-quarters of a mile, or one kilometer) during its descent. This experiment used the VLBA antennas, along with others employing the technique of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). Combination of the Doppler and VLBI data will eventually provide a three-dimensional record of motion for the Huygens Probe during its mission at Titan. Huygens was built by the European Space Agency. The radio astronomy support of the Huygens mission is coordinated by JIVE and JPL and involves the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (Green Bank, WV and Socorro, NM), the Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy (ASTRON, The Netherlands), the University of Bonn (Germany), Helsinki University of Technology (Espoo, Finland), the MERLIN National Facility (Jodrell Bank, UK), the Onsala Space Observatory (Sweden), the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA), the CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF, Sydney, Australia), the University of Tasmania (Hobart, Australia), the National Astronomical Observatories of China, the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (Shanghai and Urumqi, China) and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technologies (Kashima Space Research Center, Japan). The Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe is hosted by ASTRON and funded by the national research councils, national facilities and institutes of The Netherlands (NOW), the United Kingdom (PPARC), Italy (CNR), Sweden (Onsala Space Observatory, National Facility), Spain (IGN) and Germany (MPIfR). The Australia Telescope is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia for operation as a National Facility managed by CSIRO. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperation between NASA, ESA and ASI, the Italian space agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, is managing the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington DC. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter while ESA operated the Huygens atmospheric probe. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Which future for electromagnetic Astronomy: Ground Based vs Space Borne Large Astrophysical Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubertini, Pietro

2015-08-01

The combined use of large ground based facilities and large space observatories is playing a key role in the advance of astrophysics by providing access to the entire electromagnetic spectrum, allowing high sensitivity observations from the lower radio wavelength to the higher energy gamma rays.It is nowadays clear that a forward steps in the understanding of the Universe evolution and large scale structure formation is essential and only possible with the combined use of multiwavelength imaging and spectral high resolution instruments.The increasing size, complexity and cost of large ground and space observatories places a growing emphasis on international collaboration. If the present set of astronomical facilities is impressive and complete, with nicely complementary space and ground based telescopes, the scenario becomes worrisome and critical in the next two decades. In fact, only a few ‘Large’ main space missions are planned and there is a need to ensure proper ground facility coverage: the synergy Ground-Space is not escapable in the timeframe 2020-2030.The scope of this talk is to review the current astronomical instrumentation panorama also in view of the recent major national agencies and international bodies programmatic decisions.This Division B meeting give us a unique opportunity to review the current situation and discuss the future perspectives taking advantage of the large audience ensured by the IAU GA.

Astrometry, Radial Velocity, and Photometry: The HD 128311 System Remixed with Data from HST, HET, and APT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McArthur, Barbara. E.; Benedict, G. Fritz; Henry, Gregory W.; Hatzes, Artie; Cochran, William D.; Harrison, Tom E.; Johns-Krull, Chris; Nelan, Ed

2014-11-01

We have used high-cadence radial velocity measurements from the Hobby-Eberly Telescope with published velocities from the Lick 3 m Shane Telescope, combined with astrometric data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Fine Guidance Sensors to refine the orbital parameters of the HD 128311 system, and determine an inclination of 55.°95 ± 14.°55 and true mass of 3.789 +0.924 -0.432 M JUP for HD 128311 c. The combined radial velocity data also reveal a short period signal which could indicate a third planet in the system with an Msin i of 0.133 ± 0.005 M JUP or stellar phenomena. Photometry from the T12 0.8 m automatic photometric telescope at the Fairborn Observatory and HST are used to determine a photometric period close to, but not within the errors of the radial velocity signal. We performed a cross-correlation bisector analysis of the radial velocity data to look for correlations with the photometric period and found none. Dynamical integrations of the proposed system show long-term stability with the new orbital parameters of over 10 million years. Our new orbital elements do not support the claims of HD 128311 b and c being in mean motion resonance. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. Based on observations obtained with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, which is a joint project of the University of Texas at Austin, the Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, and observations with T12 0.8 m automatic photoelectric telescope (APT) at Fairborn Observatory.

A Multiwavelength Approach to the Star Formation Rate Estimation in Galaxies at Intermediate Redshifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardiel, N.; Elbaz, D.; Schiavon, R. P.; Willmer, C. N. A.; Koo, D. C.; Phillips, A. C.; Gallego, J.

2003-02-01

We use a sample of seven starburst galaxies at intermediate redshifts (z~0.4 and 0.8) with observations ranging from the observed ultraviolet to 1.4 GHz, to compare the star formation rate (SFR) estimators that are used in the different wavelength regimes. We find that extinction-corrected Hα underestimates the SFR, and the degree of this underestimation increases with the infrared luminosity of the galaxies. Galaxies with very different levels of dust extinction as measured with SFRIR/SFR(Hα, uncorrected for extinction) present a similar attenuation A[Hα], as if the Balmer lines probed a different region of the galaxy than the one responsible for the bulk of the IR luminosity for large SFRs. In addition, SFR estimates derived from [O II] λ3727 match very well those inferred from Hα after applying the metallicity correction derived from local galaxies. SFRs estimated from the UV luminosities show a dichotomic behavior, similar to that previously reported by other authors in galaxies at z<~0.4. Here we extend this result up to z~0.8. Finally, one of the studied objects is a luminous compact galaxy (LCG) that may be suffering similar dust-enshrouded star formation episodes. These results highlight the relevance of quantifying the actual LIR of LCGs, as well as that of a much larger and generic sample of luminous infrared galaxies, which will be possible after the launch of SIRTF. Based on data obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. Based in part on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. Based in part on observations with the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO), an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, Netherlands, and United Kingdom) with the participation of ISAS and NASA.

KSC-08pd0781

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician prepares to test the deployment mechanism on the solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd0784

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, completes the test of the deployment mechanism on its solar arrays. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd0782

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician prepares to test the deployment mechanism of the solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-08pd0771

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician finishes the installation of the second of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

Artium mater in relativistic astrophysics : New perspectives for a European-Latin American PhD program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chardonnet, Pascal

2015-12-01

Following the successful scientific space missions by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile, as well as the high-energy particle activities at CERN in Genve, we have created a Ph.D. program dedicated to the formation of scientists in the field of relativistic astrophysics. The students of such a program will lead the theoretical developments of one of the most active fields of research, based on the above observational and experimental facilities. This program needs expertise in the most advanced topics of mathematical and theoretical physics, and in relativistic field theories. It requires the ability to model the observational data received from the above facilities, as well as all the basic knowledge in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. This activity is necessarily international, no single university can cover the broad expertises. From this, the proposed program of the IRAP Ph.D., in one of the youngest and most dynamical French universities, pole of research and teaching in the Euro-Mediterranean region (PRES): the University of Nice. It benefits from the presence of the astrophysics research institute of Observatoire de la Cte d'Azur involved in relativistic and non-photonic astrophysics. The participation of the Freie Universitaet Berlin, Oldenburg and Bremen Universities and of the Einstein Institute in Potsdam offers the possibility of teaching in relativistic field theories at the highest level. The University of Savoy offers the link to the particle physics at CERN. The activities at the University of Rome, at Stockholm University and at ICRANet offer teaching programs in all the fields of relativistic astrophysics, including cosmology, the physics of gravitational collapse, gamma-ray bursts, and black hole physics. Finally, the University of Ferrara will be present with lectures and researches in the topics they have pioneered such as x-ray astrophysics and observational cosmology. Through ICRANet the extra-European connections with Brazil, China and India will be guaranteed: in China, with the Shanghai Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Science, studying the formation and evolution of large-scale structure and galaxies; in India, with the Indian Centre for Space Physics (ICSP), renowned for its research on compact objects as well as on solar physics and astrochemistry; in Brazil with ICRANet Brazil where a successful program of research and teaching in relativistic astrophysics has been established in recent years.

Artium mater in relativistic astrophysics : New perspectives for a European-Latin American PhD program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chardonnet, Pascal; LAPTh, Université de Savoie, CNRS, B.P. 110, Annecy-le-Vieux F-74941; ICRANet, Piazza della Repubblica 10, 65122 Pescara

Following the successful scientific space missions by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Chile, as well as the high-energy particle activities at CERN in Genve, we have created a Ph.D. program dedicated to the formation of scientists in the field of relativistic astrophysics. The students of such a program will lead the theoretical developments of one of the most active fields of research, based on the above observational and experimental facilities. This program needs expertise in the most advanced topics of mathematical and theoretical physics, and in relativistic field theories. It requires the abilitymore » to model the observational data received from the above facilities, as well as all the basic knowledge in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. This activity is necessarily international, no single university can cover the broad expertises. From this, the proposed program of the IRAP Ph.D., in one of the youngest and most dynamical French universities, pole of research and teaching in the Euro-Mediterranean region (PRES): the University of Nice. It benefits from the presence of the astrophysics research institute of Observatoire de la Cte d’Azur involved in relativistic and non-photonic astrophysics. The participation of the Freie Universitaet Berlin, Oldenburg and Bremen Universities and of the Einstein Institute in Potsdam offers the possibility of teaching in relativistic field theories at the highest level. The University of Savoy offers the link to the particle physics at CERN. The activities at the University of Rome, at Stockholm University and at ICRANet offer teaching programs in all the fields of relativistic astrophysics, including cosmology, the physics of gravitational collapse, gamma-ray bursts, and black hole physics. Finally, the University of Ferrara will be present with lectures and researches in the topics they have pioneered such as x-ray astrophysics and observational cosmology. Through ICRANet the extra-European connections with Brazil, China and India will be guaranteed: in China, with the Shanghai Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Science, studying the formation and evolution of large-scale structure and galaxies; in India, with the Indian Centre for Space Physics (ICSP), renowned for its research on compact objects as well as on solar physics and astrochemistry; in Brazil with ICRANet Brazil where a successful program of research and teaching in relativistic astrophysics has been established in recent years.« less

Science Planning for Multi-Spacecraft Coordinated Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maks, Lori; Fishman, Mark; Pell, Vince; Obenschain, Arthur F. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Fulfilling the promise of an era of great observatories, NASA now has more than three space-based astronomical telescopes operating in different wavebands. This situation provides astronomers with a unique opportunity to simultaneously observe with multiple observatories. Yet scheduling multiple observatories simultaneously is highly inefficient when compared to single observatory observations. Thus, programs using multiple observatories are limited not due to scientific restrictions, but due to operational inefficiencies. Each year, a number of proposals are accepted by a space-based observatory for conduction of astronomical observations and gathering of science data for the study of galactic events. Since each space-based observatory uses a set of instruments designed to operate in specific energy regions, most such studies are conducted by submitting observation proposals to multiple observatories, with requests to coordinate among themselves. To assure that the proposed observations can be scheduled, each observatory's staff has to check that the observations are valid and meet all the constraints for their own observatory; in addition, they have to verify that the observations satisfy the constraints of the other observatories. Thus, coordinated observations require painstaking manual collaboration among the observatory staff at each observatory. In order to exploit new paradigms for observatory operation, the Goddard Space Flight Center's Advanced Architectures and Automation Branch has developed a prototype tool called the Visual Observation Layout Tool (VOLT). The main objective of VOLT is to provide a visual tool to automate the science planning of coordinated observations for multiple spacecraft, as well as to increase the scheduling probability of observations. However, VOLT is also useful for single observatory planning to optimize observatory control. Three space-based missions are interested in using VOLT (the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer). The VOLT team members have collaborated with these missions to gather requirements and obtain feedback on their mission planning processes. VOLT has been developed as a cross-platform Java client application for use by scientists and observatory science planning staff to visualize scheduling options and constraints. It also supports a lightweight graphical user interface for remote viewing via a Web front end. Additionally, it uniquely supports the ability to interact with multiple, diverse scheduling packages in order to determine windows of opportunity for observations and visually portray the constraints of each observation request. VOLT enables science data capture scenarios which are currently either impossible, or which require extensive time and manpower to coordinate amongst multiple observatories. it supports early detection of planning conflicts by generating coordinated solutions based on observatory schedulability and constraints. The project development approach has included frequent prototype demonstrations to our interested missions to obtain feedback after each release of the software. We will present an overview of our lessons learned in infusing the VOLT tool into the operations of the missions we have collaborated with and a brief demonstration of the software.

University Observatory, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murdin, P.

2000-11-01

The University Observatory of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität was founded in 1816. Astronomers who worked or graduated at the Munich Observatory include: Fraunhofer, Soldner, Lamont, Seeliger and Karl Schwarzschild. At present four professors and ten staff astronomers work here. Funding comes from the Bavarian Government, the German Science Foundation, and other German and European research progra...

Complementarity of NGST, ALMA, and Far IR Space Observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mather, John C.

2004-01-01

The Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) will both start operations long before a new far IR observatory to follow SIRTF into space can be launched. What will be unknown even after they are operational, and what will a far IR space observatory be able to add? I will compare the telescope design concepts and capabilities and the advertised scientific programs for the projects and attempt to forecast the research topics that will be at the forefront in 2010.

Complementarity of NGST, ALMA, and far IR Space Observatories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mather, John C.; Fisher, Richard R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) will both start operations long before a new far IR observatory in space can be launched. What will be unknown even after they are operational, and what will a far IR space observatory be able to add? I will compare the telescope design concepts and capabilities and the advertised scientific programs for the projects and attempt to forecast the research topics that will be at the forefront in 2010.

Construction of a Thermal Vacuum Chamber for Environment Test of Triple CubeSat Mission TRIO-CINEMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Jeheon; Lee, Seongwhan; Yoon, Seyoung; Seon, Jongho; Jin, Ho; Lee, Donghun; Lin, Robert P.

2013-12-01

TRiplet Ionospheric Observatory-CubeSat for Ion, Neutron, Electron & MAgnetic fields (TRIO-CINEMA) is a CubeSat with 3.14 kg in weight and 3-U (10 × 10 × 30 cm) in size, jointly developed by Kyung Hee University and UC Berkeley to measure magnetic fields of near Earth space and detect plasma particles. When a satellite is launched into orbit, it encounters ultrahigh vacuum and extreme temperature. To verify the operation and survivability of the satellite in such an extreme space environment, experimental tests are conducted on the ground using thermal vacuum chamber. This paper describes the temperature control device and monitoring system suitable for CubeSat test environment using the thermal vacuum chamber of the School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University. To build the chamber, we use a general purpose thermal analysis program and NX 6.0 TMG program. We carry out thermal vacuum tests on the two flight models developed by Kyung Hee University based on the thermal model of the TRIO-CINEMA satellite. It is expected from this experiment that proper operation of the satellite in the space environment will be achieved.

Nobel Prize In Physics Awarded To Astronomer For NASA-Funded Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2002-10-01

Riccardo Giacconi, the "father of X-ray astronomy," has received the Nobel Prize in physics for "pioneering contributions to astrophysics," which have led to the discovery of cosmic X-ray sources. Giaconni, president of the Associated Universities Inc., in Washington, and Research Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, discovered the first X-ray stars and the X-ray background in the 1960s and conceived of and led the implementation of the Uhuru and High Energy Astronomy Observatory-2 (HEAO-2) X-ray observatories in the 1970s. With funding from NASA, he also detected sources of X-rays that most astronomers now consider to contain black holes. Giacconi said that receiving the award confirms the importance of X-ray astronomy. "I think I'm one of the first to get the Nobel prize for work with NASA, so that's good for NASA and I think it's also good for the field," he said. "It's also nice for all the other people who've worked in this field. I recognize that I was never alone. I'm happy for me personally, I'm happy for my family, and I'm happy for the field and for NASA," Giacconi added. In 1976, Giacconi along with Harvey Tananbaum of the Harvard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, Mass., submitted a proposal letter to NASA to initiate the study and design of a large X-ray telescope. In 1977 work began on the program, which was then known as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility and in 1998 renamed the Chandra X-ray Observatory. "Partnerships with universities and scientists are essential in our quest to answer the fundamental questions of the universe," said Dr. Ed Weiler, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science, Headquarters, Washington. "Dr. Giacconi's achievements are a brilliant example of this synergy among NASA, universities and their community of scientists and students," he said. Giacconi is Principal Investigator for the ultradeep survey with Chandra - the "Chandra Deep Field South" - that has already obtained the deepest X-ray exposures to date with a million-second observation. He was also the first director of the Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. Giacconi, 71, received half the prize. Raymond Davis Jr., 87, of the University of Pennsylvania and Masatoshi Koshiba, 76, of the University of Tokyo will share the other half of the prize, worth about $1 million, for their research into cosmic neutrinos. For more information visit: http://nobelprize.org/ Chandra Chronicles: A High-Energy Visonary Wins Nobel Prize

KSC-08pd0654

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians secure NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, on a work stand as the overhead crane is lifted away. GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd0649

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lifted and begins moving toward the work stand in the foreground. There GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Cassiopeia A supernova

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA's Fermi Closes on Source of Cosmic Rays New images from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope show where supernova remnants emit radiation a billion times more energetic than visible light. The images bring astronomers a step closer to understanding the source of some of the universe's most energetic particles -- cosmic rays. This composite shows the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant across the spectrum: Gamma rays (magenta) from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope; X-rays (blue, green) from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory; visible light (yellow) from the Hubble Space Telescope; infrared (red) from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope; and radio (orange) from the Very Large Array near Socorro, N.M. Credit: NASA/DOE/Fermi LAT Collaboration, CXC/SAO/JPL-Caltech/Steward/O. Krause et al., and NRAO/AUI For more information: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/news/cosmic-rays-source.... NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is home to the nation's largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe. Follow us on Twitter Join us on Facebook

The Most Distant Mature Galaxy Cluster - Young, but surprisingly grown-up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2011-03-01

Astronomers have used an armada of telescopes on the ground and in space, including the Very Large Telescope at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile to discover and measure the distance to the most remote mature cluster of galaxies yet found. Although this cluster is seen when the Universe was less than one quarter of its current age it looks surprisingly similar to galaxy clusters in the current Universe. "We have measured the distance to the most distant mature cluster of galaxies ever found", says the lead author of the study in which the observations from ESO's VLT have been used, Raphael Gobat (CEA, Paris). "The surprising thing is that when we look closely at this galaxy cluster it doesn't look young - many of the galaxies have settled down and don't resemble the usual star-forming galaxies seen in the early Universe." Clusters of galaxies are the largest structures in the Universe that are held together by gravity. Astronomers expect these clusters to grow through time and hence that massive clusters would be rare in the early Universe. Although even more distant clusters have been seen, they appear to be young clusters in the process of formation and are not settled mature systems. The international team of astronomers used the powerful VIMOS and FORS2 instruments on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) to measure the distances to some of the blobs in a curious patch of very faint red objects first observed with the Spitzer space telescope. This grouping, named CL J1449+0856 [1], had all the hallmarks of being a very remote cluster of galaxies [2]. The results showed that we are indeed seeing a galaxy cluster as it was when the Universe was about three billion years old - less than one quarter of its current age [3]. Once the team knew the distance to this very rare object they looked carefully at the component galaxies using both the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based telescopes, including the VLT. They found evidence suggesting that most of the galaxies in the cluster were not forming stars, but were composed of stars that were already about one billion years old. This makes the cluster a mature object, similar in mass to the Virgo Cluster, the nearest rich galaxy cluster to the Milky Way. Further evidence that this is a mature cluster comes from observations of X-rays coming from CL J1449+0856 made with ESA's XMM-Newton space observatory. The cluster is giving off X-rays that must be coming from a very hot cloud of tenuous gas filling the space between the galaxies and concentrated towards the centre of the cluster. This is another sign of a mature galaxy cluster, held firmly together by its own gravity, as very young clusters have not had time to trap hot gas in this way. As Gobat concludes: "These new results support the idea that mature clusters existed when the Universe was less than one quarter of its current age. Such clusters are expected to be very rare according to current theory, and we have been very lucky to spot one. But if further observations find many more then this may mean that our understanding of the early Universe needs to be revised." Notes [1] The strange name refers to the object's position in the sky. [2] The galaxies appear red in the picture partly because they are thought to be mainly composed of cool, red stars. In addition the expansion of the Universe since the light left these remote systems has increased the wavelength of the light further so that it is mostly seen as infrared radiation when it gets to Earth. [3] The astronomers measured the distance to the cluster by splitting the light up into its component colours in a spectrograph. They then compared this spectrum with one of a similar object in the nearby Universe. This allowed them to measure the redshift of the remote galaxies - how much the Universe has expanded since the light left the galaxies. The redshift was found to be 2.07, which means that the cluster is seen about three billion years after the Big Bang. More information This research was presented in a paper, "A mature cluster with X-ray emission at z = 2.07", by R. Gobat et al., published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. The team is composed of R. Gobat (Laboratoire AIM-Paris-Saclay, France), E. Daddi (AIM-Paris), M. Onodera (ETH Zürich, Switzerland), A. Finoguenov (Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik [MPE], Garching, Germany), A. Renzini (INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova), N. Arimoto (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan), R. Bouwens (Lick Observatory, Santa Cruz, USA), M. Brusa (MPE), R.-R. Chary (California Institute of Technology, USA), A. Cimatti (Università di Bologna, Italy), M. Dickinson (NOAO, Tucson, USA), X. Kong (University of Science and Technology of China), and M.Mignoli (INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna, Italy). ESO, the European Southern Observatory, is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive astronomical observatory. It is supported by 15 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and VISTA, the world's largest survey telescope. ESO is the European partner of a revolutionary astronomical telescope ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. ESO is currently planning a 42-metre European Extremely Large optical/near-infrared Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky".

The First Astronomical Observatory in Cluj-Napoca

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szenkovits, Ferenc

2008-09-01

One of the most important cities of Romania is Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár, Klausenburg). This is a traditional center of education, with many universities and high schools. From the second half of the 18th century the University of Cluj has its own Astronomical Observatory, serving for didactical activities and scientific researches. The famous astronomer Maximillian Hell was one of those Jesuits who put the base of this Astronomical Observatory. Our purpose is to offer a short history of the beginnings of this Astronomical Observatory.

The Space Telescope Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahcall, J. N.; Odell, C. R.

1979-01-01

A convenient guide to the expected characteristics of the Space Telescope Observatory for astronomers and physicists is presented. An attempt is made to provide enough detail so that a professional scientist, observer or theorist, can plan how the observatory may be used to further his observing programs or to test theoretical models.

Hubble Sees Stars and a Stripe in Celestial Fireworks

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Release date: July 1, 2008 This image is a composite of visible (or optical), radio, and X-ray data of the full shell of the supernova remnant from SN 1006. The radio data show much of the extent that the X-ray image shows. In contrast, only a small linear filament in the northwest corner of the shell is visible in the optical data. The object has an angular size of roughly 30 arcminutes (0.5 degree, or about the size of the full moon), and a physical size of 60 light-years (18 parsecs) based on its distance of nearly 7,000 light-years. The small green box along the bright filament at the top of the image corresponds to the dimensions of the Hubble release image. The optical data was obtained at the University of Michigan's 0.9-meter Curtis Schmidt telescope at the National Science Foundation's Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) near La Serena, Chile. H-alpha, continuum-subtracted data were provided by F. Winkler (Middlebury COllege) et al. The X-ray data were acquired from the Chandra X-ray Observatory's AXAF CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) at 0.5-3keV, and were provided by J. Hughes (Rutgers University) et al. The radio data, supplied by K. Dyer (NRAO, Socorro) et al., were a composite from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Large Array (NRAO/VLA) in Socorro, New Mexico, along with the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in Green Bank, West Virginia. Data of the supernova remnant were blended on a visible-light stellar background created using the Digitized Sky Survey's Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO2) blue and red plates. Photo Credit: NASA, ESA, and Z. Levay (STScI) Science Credit: Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF GBT+VLA 1.4 GHz mosaic (Dyer, Maddalena and Cornwell, NRAO); X-ray: NASA/CXC/Rutgers/G. Cassam-Chenai and J. Hughes et al.; Optical: F.Winkler/Middlebury College and NOAO/AURA/NSF; and DSS To learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope go here: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.html NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is home to the nation's largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe. Follow us on Twitter Join us on Facebook

Inter-University Upper Atmosphere Global Observation Network (IUGONET) Metadata Database and Its Interoperability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yatagai, A. I.; Iyemori, T.; Ritschel, B.; Koyama, Y.; Hori, T.; Abe, S.; Tanaka, Y.; Shinbori, A.; Umemura, N.; Sato, Y.; Yagi, M.; Ueno, S.; Hashiguchi, N. O.; Kaneda, N.; Belehaki, A.; Hapgood, M. A.

2013-12-01

The IUGONET is a Japanese program to build a metadata database for ground-based observations of the upper atmosphere [1]. The project began in 2009 with five Japanese institutions which archive data observed by radars, magnetometers, photometers, radio telescopes and helioscopes, and so on, at various altitudes from the Earth's surface to the Sun. Systems have been developed to allow searching of the above described metadata. We have been updating the system and adding new and updated metadata. The IUGONET development team adopted the SPASE metadata model [2] to describe the upper atmosphere data. This model is used as the common metadata format by the virtual observatories for solar-terrestrial physics. It includes metadata referring to each data file (called a 'Granule'), which enable a search for data files as well as data sets. Further details are described in [2] and [3]. Currently, three additional Japanese institutions are being incorporated in IUGONET. Furthermore, metadata of observations of the troposphere, taken at the observatories of the middle and upper atmosphere radar at Shigaraki and the Meteor radar in Indonesia, have been incorporated. These additions will contribute to efficient interdisciplinary scientific research. In the beginning of 2013, the registration of the 'Observatory' and 'Instrument' metadata was completed, which makes it easy to overview of the metadata database. The number of registered metadata as of the end of July, totalled 8.8 million, including 793 observatories and 878 instruments. It is important to promote interoperability and/or metadata exchange between the database development groups. A memorandum of agreement has been signed with the European Near-Earth Space Data Infrastructure for e-Science (ESPAS) project, which has similar objectives to IUGONET with regard to a framework for formal collaboration. Furthermore, observations by satellites and the International Space Station are being incorporated with a view for making/linking metadata databases. The development of effective data systems will contribute to the progress of scientific research on solar terrestrial physics, climate and the geophysical environment. Any kind of cooperation, metadata input and feedback, especially for linkage of the databases, is welcomed. References 1. Hayashi, H. et al., Inter-university Upper Atmosphere Global Observation Network (IUGONET), Data Sci. J., 12, WDS179-184, 2013. 2. King, T. et al., SPASE 2.0: A standard data model for space physics. Earth Sci. Inform. 3, 67-73, 2010, doi:10.1007/s12145-010-0053-4. 3. Hori, T., et al., Development of IUGONET metadata format and metadata management system. J. Space Sci. Info. Jpn., 105-111, 2012. (in Japanese)

Searching for Planets in the Hyades. V. Limits on Planet Detection in the Presence of Stellar Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulson, Diane B.; Cochran, William D.; Hatzes, Artie P.

2004-06-01

We present the results of a radial velocity survey of a sample of Hyades stars and discuss the effects of stellar activity on radial velocity measurements. The level of radial velocity scatter due to rotational modulation of stellar surface features for the Hyades is in agreement with the 1997 predictions of Saar & Donahue-the maximum radial velocity rms of up to ~50 m s-1, with an average rms of ~16 m s-1. In this sample of 94 stars we find one new binary, two stars with linear trends indicative of binary companions, and no close-in giant planets. We discuss the limits on extrasolar planet detection in the Hyades and the constraints imposed on radial velocity surveys of young stars. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. The authors wish to recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of Mauna Kea has always had within the indigenous Hawaiian community. We are most fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations from this mountain. Additional data were obtained with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, which is operated by McDonald Observatory on behalf of the University of Texas at Austin, the Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

Wilhelm Winkler (1842-1910) - a Thuringian private astronomer and maecenas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weise, Wilfried; Dorschner, Johann; Schielicke, Reinhardt E.

Wilhelm Winkler was born in 1842 in Eisenberg, Thuringia, as the son of a lawyer. After attending the trading high school in Gera, Winkler worked as a merchant in Eisenberg, following in the footsteps of his grandfather. In 1875 he gave up this trade and devoted his time entirely to astronomy. Advised by Carl Bruhns, director of the Leipzig University Observatory, he established an observatory on his estate in Gohlis near Leipzig. From 1878 Winkler regularly observed sunspots; other fields of his observational interests were comets, occultations of stars by the Moon, and Jupiter's satellites. In 1887 he went to Jena, where he contacted Ernst Abbe, who was the head of the Jena observatory, too. For some years, Winkler's instruments were used in the new observatory erected by Abbe, which replaced the old Ducal Observatory of the Goethe era. Winkler donated the precision pendulum clock and some other instruments to this observatory. He also offered his observational assistance whenever it was wanted. In 1893 Winkler built up his own observatory in Jena and published annual reports on his work in the Vierteljahrsschrift of the Astronomische Gesellschaft. His observational results mainly appeared in the journal Astronomische Nachrichten. In 1902 he was awarded an honorary doctor's degree by the Philosophical Faculty of Jena University. However, at that time his physical constitution began gradually to fade. He lost his left eye due to a sarcoma, and finally he died at the age of 68. In his will, he left 100 000 Mark in form of securities to Jena University (Winkler Foundation). The University Observatory got his 4.5 m dome, the transport of which from his residence to the final site was also paid for by him, several instruments, and a lot of books. In 1936 Winkler's dome was closed by the University. The observatory was transferred from the University to the Zeiss works in exchange for the observatory in the Jena Forst. Zeiss sponsored the reconstruction of the old dome and its equipment with a telescope and, thus, laid the base for the modern Urania Popular Observatory. Please note: The printed version contains an error: Unfortunately, Reinhard E. Schielicke was not indicated as co-author of this paper.

TPF coronagraph instrument design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaklan, S B.; Balasubramanian, K.; Ceperly, D.; Green, J.; Hoppe, D.; Lay, O. P.; Lisman, P. D.; Mouroulis, P. Z.

2005-01-01

For the past 2 years, NASA has invested substantial resources to study the design and performance of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C). The work, led by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory with collaboration from Goddard Space Flight Center and several university and commercial entities, encompasses observatory design, performance modeling, materials characterization, primary mirror studies, and a significant technology development effort including a high-contrast imaging testbed that has achieved 1e-9 contrast in a laboratory experiment.

Future Large-Aperture Ultraviolet/Optical/Infrared Space Observatory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thronson, Harley; Mandell, Avi; Polidan, Ron; Tumlinson, Jason

2016-01-01

Since the beginning of modern astronomical science in the early 1900s, astronomers have yearned to escape the turbulence and absorption of Earth's atmosphere by placing observatories in space. One of the first papers to lay out the advantages of space astronomy was by Lyman Spitzer in 1946, "Astronomical Advantages of an Extra-Terrestrial Observatory," though later in life he minimized the influence of this work. Since that time, and especially gaining momentum in the 1960s after the launch of Sputnik, astronomers, technologists, and engineers continued to advance, organizing scientific conferences, advocating for necessary technologies, and assessing sophisticated designs for increasingly ambitious space observations at ultraviolet, visual, and infrared (UVOIR) wavelengths. These community-wide endeavors, combined with the explosion in technological capability enabled by the Apollo era, led to rapid advancement in space observatory performance that culminated in the spectacularly successful Hubble Space Telescope (HST), launched in 1990 and still returning surpassing scientific results.

Historical Examples of Lobbying: The Case of Strasbourg Astronomical Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heck, Andre

2012-08-01

Several astronomical observatories have been established in Strasbourg in very differing contexts. In the late 17th century, an observing post (scientifically sterile) was put on top of a tower, the Hospital Gate, essentially for the prestige of the city and the notoriety of the university. In the 19th century, the observatory built on the Académie hosting the French university was the first attempt to set up in the city a real observatory equipped with genuine instrumentation with the purpose of carrying out serious research, but the succession of political regimes in France and the continual bidding for moving the university to other locations, together with the faltering of later scholars, torpedoed any significant scientific usage of the place. After the 1870-1871 Franco-Prussian war, the German authorities set up a prestigious university campus with a whole range of institutes together with a modern observatory consisting of several buildings and hosting a flotilla of excellent instruments, including the then largest refractor of the country. This paper illustrates various types of lobbying used in the steps above while detailing, from archive documents largely unexploited so far, original research on the two first observatories.

sts093-s-001

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-01

STS093-S-001 (September 1998) --- This is the STS-93 mission insignia designed by the crew members. Space shuttle Columbia will carry the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) into low Earth orbit initiating its planned five-year astronomy mission. AXAF is the third of NASA's great observatories, following the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO). AXAF will provide scientists and order-of magnitude improvement over current capabilities at X-ray wavelengths. In the words of the crew, "Observations of X-ray emissions from energetic galaxies and clusters, as well as black holes, promise to greatly expand current understanding of the origin and evolution of our universe." The patch depicts AXAF separating from the space shuttle Columbia after a successful deployment. A spiral galaxy is shown in the background as a possible target for AXAF observations. The two flags represent the international crew, consisting of astronauts from both the United States and France. The NASA insignia design for space shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the forms of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which is not anticipated, the change will be publicly announced. Photo credit: NASA

Investigation of a transiting planet candidate in Trumpler 37: An astrophysical false positive eclipsing spectroscopic binary star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Errmann, R.; Torres, G.; Schmidt, T. O. B.; Seeliger, M.; Howard, A. W.; Maciejewski, G.; Neuhäuser, R.; Meibom, S.; Kellerer, A.; Dimitrov, D. P.; Dincel, B.; Marka, C.; Mugrauer, M.; Ginski, Ch.; Adam, Ch.; Raetz, St.; Schmidt, J. G.; Hohle, M. M.; Berndt, A.; Kitze, M.; Trepl, L.; Moualla, M.; Eisenbeiß, T.; Fiedler, S.; Dathe, A.; Graefe, Ch.; Pawellek, N.; Schreyer, K.; Kjurkchieva, D. P.; Radeva, V. S.; Yotov, V.; Chen, W. P.; Hu, S. C.-L.; Wu, Z.-Y.; Zhou, X.; Pribulla, T.; Budaj, J.; Vaňko, M.; Kundra, E.; Hambálek, Ľ.; Krushevska, V.; Bukowiecki, Ł.; Nowak, G.; Marschall, L.; Terada, H.; Tomono, D.; Fernandez, M.; Sota, A.; Takahashi, H.; Oasa, Y.; Briceño, C.; Chini, R.; Broeg, C. H.

We report our investigation of the first transiting planet candidate from the YETI project in the young (˜4 Myr old) open cluster Trumpler 37. The transit-like signal detected in the lightcurve of F8V star 2M21385603+5711345 repeats every 1.364894±0.000015 days, and has a depth of 54.5±0.8 mmag in R. Membership in the cluster is supported by its mean radial velocity and location in the color-magnitude diagram, while the Li diagnostic and proper motion are inconclusive in this regard. Follow-up photometric monitoring and adaptive optics imaging allow us to rule out many possible blend scenarios, but our radial-velocity measurements show it to be an eclipsing single-lined spectroscopic binary with a late-type (mid-M) stellar companion, rather than one of planetary nature. The estimated mass of the companion is 0.15-0.44 M⊙. The search for planets around very young stars such as those targeted by the YETI survey remains of critical importance to understand the early stages of planet formation and evolution. Based in part on data collected at Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W.M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Proposal ID H215Hr). The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W.M. Keck Foundation. Based on observations obtained with telescopes of the University Observatory Jena, which is operated by the Astrophysical Institute of the Friedrich-Schiller-University. Based on observations collected at the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated jointly by the Max-Planck Institut für Astronomie and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC, Proposal IDs H10-3.5-015 and H10-2.2-004). Some of the observations reported here were obtained at the MMT Observatory, a joint facility of the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Arizona (Proposal ID 2010c-SAO-5).

Challenges with Electrical, Electronics, and Electromechanical Parts for James Webb Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jah, Muzar A.; Jeffers, Basil S.

2016-01-01

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the space-based observatory that will extend the knowledge gained by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Hubble focuses on optical and ultraviolet wavelengths while JWST focuses on the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, to see the earliest stars and galaxies that formed in the Universe and to look deep into nearby dust clouds to study the formation of stars and planets. JWST, which commenced creation in 1996, is scheduled to launch in 2018. It includes a suite of four instruments, the spacecraft bus, optical telescope element, Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM, the platform to hold the instruments), and a sunshield. The mass of JWST is approximately 6200 kg, including observatory, on-orbit consumables and launch vehicle adaptor. Many challenges were overcome while providing the electrical and electronic components for the Goddard Space Flight Center hardware builds. Other difficulties encountered included developing components to work at cryogenic temperatures, failures of electronic components during development and flight builds, Integration and Test electronic parts problems, and managing technical issues with international partners. This paper will present the context of JWST from a EEE (electrical, electronic, and electromechanical) perspective with examples of challenges and lessons learned throughout the design, development, and fabrication of JWST in cooperation with our associated partners including the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), Lockheed Martin and their respective associated partners. Technical challenges and lessons learned will be discussed.