On February 3, IXPE completed its prime mission and began the General Observer phase of the mission. During its 754-day baseline Science mission, IXPE conducted 115 total polarimetry observations of 64 distinct sources, for a total exposure of 439 days …
Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Completion of Baseline Science Mission Read More »
Astronomers have discovered one of the most powerful eruptions from a black hole ever recorded. This mega-explosion billions of years ago may help explain the formation of a striking pattern of star clusters around two massive galaxies, resembling beads on …
In January, the Science Test Branch (ST15) enabled a test of a LiDAR Engineering Unit for the On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1). As perhaps the longest vacuum chamber available for use by experimenters, the X-ray & Cryogenic Facility’s …
LiDAR Testing at Marshall’s X-ray & Cryogenic Facility Read More »
On 2/9/24, Astrophysical Journal published online “First detection of polarization in X-rays for PSR B0540-69 and its nebula” by Fei Xie et al. On 2/21/24, Astrophysical Journal published online “Detection of X-ray polarization from the blazar 1ES 1959+650 with the …
New Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Discovery Papers Published Read More »
Chandra autonomously transitioned to Normal Sun Mode (NSM) during an observation late on Saturday, February 2, 2024. The transition was nominal, science instruments were safed properly, and all telemetry was as expected. The immediate cause of the anomaly was a …
On 1/16/24, NASA posted “NASA’s IXPE Helps Researchers Maximize ‘Microquasar’ Findings” (https://www.nasa.gov/missions/ixpe/nasas-ixpe-helps-researchers-maximize-microquasar-findings/). The posting, coinciding with publication of the Astrophysical Journal Letters article, includes combined images from IXPE, Chandra, XMM-Newton, infrared, and radio observatories. The microquasar in question – Stephenson …
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 …
A group of dead stars known as “spider pulsars” are obliterating companion stars within their reach. Data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory of the globular cluster Omega Centauri is helping astronomers understand how these spider pulsars prey on their stellar …
NASA’s Chandra Catches Spider Pulsars Destroying Nearby Stars Read More »
On 11/16/23, Astrophysical Journal Letters published online “The First X-ray Polarization Observation of the Black Hole X-ray Binary 4U 1630–47 in the Steep Power-law State” by Nicole Rodriguez Cavero et al. : On 11/21/23, Astrophysical Journal Letters published online “Discovery …
Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Discovery Papers and More Read More »
On 12/6/23, NASA released Transform to Open Science (TOPS) initiative, its free Open Science 101 curriculum to empower researchers, early career scientists, and underrepresented communities with the knowledge and tools necessary to embrace open science practices. the curriculum is designed …
NASA’s Transform to Open Science (TOPS) Program Launches New Open Science Curriculum Read More »
