Chandra X-Ray Observatory

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory is one of the world’s most powerful x-ray telescope and it was launched by NASA on July 23, 1999. This X-ray observatory allows scientists to obtain x-ray images from high-energy regions of the universe. This was named after the Nobel Prize winner Indian physicist, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who had discovered the maximum mass for white dwarfs. The Chandra is the third great observatory launched by NASA out of four. The telescope is also the largest satellite that has been launched with a length of 45 feet. Since earth-based telescopes are not able to detect the majority of x-ray sources, the Chandra plays a vital role in x-ray astronomy.

The telescope consists of four pairs of mirrors, because of their high-energy, X-ray photons penetrate into a mirror much as bullets slam into a wall. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory combines the mirrors with four science instruments to capture and probe the X-rays from astronomical sources. The incoming X-rays are focused by the mirrors to a tiny spot (about half as wide as a human hair) on the focal plane, about 30 feet away.

The 2 focal plane instruments named ACIS and HRC are well matched to capture the sharp images formed by the mirrors and to provide information about the incoming X-rays. Two additional instruments provide detailed information about the X-ray energy named LETG and HETG spectrometers.

Many are not sure how the Chandra-X ray observatory detects black holes, when any material falls into a black hole from a companion star it gets heated to millions of degrees Kelvin and accelerated. The super heated materials emit X-rays, which can be detected by X-ray telescopes such as the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory.