Astrophysics Branch
Marshall Space Flight Center's Astrophysics Branch uses space and ground-based observatories to peer back to the earliest epochs of the universe, unravel its mysteries, and study the most violent explosions in our galaxy and beyond. Our goal is to help discover how the universe works, explore how it began and evolved, and search for life on planets around other stars.
On 12/18/23, Astrophysical Journal published online “First X-ray Polarization Measurement Confirms the Low Black-Hole Spin in LMC X-3” by Jiří Svoboda et al. On 1/5/24, Astrophysical Journal Letters published online “Highly Significant Detection of X-ray Polarization from the Brightest Accreting …
New Discovery Papers from the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Science Team Read More »
The first space-based observatory designed to detect gravitational waves has passed a major review and will proceed to the construction of flight hardware. On 1/25/24, ESA (European Space Agency), announced the formal adoption of LISA, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, …
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Passes Mission Adoption Read More »
Colleen Wilson-Hodge was elected by her peers to the role of Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee (EC) for the High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). This role will automatically transition into the Chair role after …
Colleen Wilson-Hodge Elected to Leadership Position Read More »
The High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) has awarded the 2024 Bruno Rossi Prize to retired NASA astrophysicist Martin Weisskopf (ST12 Emeritus), Italian Space Agency principal investigator Paolo Soffitta, and their team for development of …
Since 2020, the “sonification” project at NASA’s Chandra X-ray Center has translated the digital data taken by telescopes into notes and sounds. This process allows the listener to experience the data through the sense of hearing instead of seeing it …