NASA Talk :: "Chandra"

Retrieved by Pat Darnell | Dec 31, 2012 | Bryan TX

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Spiral Galaxy NGC 3627
The spiral galaxy NGC 3627 is located about 30 million light years from Earth. This composite image includes X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue), infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope (red), and optical data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Very Large Telescope (yellow). The inset shows the central region, which contains a bright X-ray source that is likely powered by material falling onto a supermassive black hole.

A search using archival data from previous Chandra observations of a sample of 62 nearby galaxies has shown that 37 of the galaxies, including NGC 3627, contain X-ray sources in their centers. Most of these sources are likely powered by central supermassive black holes. The survey, which also used data from the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, found that seven of the 37 sources are new supermassive black hole candidates.

Confirming previous Chandra results, this study finds the fraction of galaxies found to be hosting supermassive black holes is much higher than found with optical searches. This shows the ability of X-ray observations to find black holes in galaxies where relatively low-level black hole activity has either been hidden by obscuring material or washed out by the bright optical light of the galaxy.

Credits: NASA/CXC/Ohio State Univ./C.Grier et al.; Optical: NASA/STScI, ESO/WFI; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Page Last Updated: December 28, 2012
Page Editor: Rebecca Goodman
NASA Official: Brian Dunbar


_________________________Reference
http://www.nasa.gov/mp4/716063main_whatsup20130101-320.mp4
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2418.html

Projects that MooPig has not been asked to Help With :: "Chandra Mission"

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"Scientists say at least 30 million black holes had formed before the universe was 1 billion years old..."
Retrieved by Pat Darnell   |  June 18, 2011   |  Bryan TX   |   [LINK]

Many of us are just getting around to understanding the mystifying work that has been accomplished by our Space Shuttle Program. Besides all the rendezvous's with International Space Station, Space Shuttles have launched "... NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, which was ... deployed by Space Shuttle Columbia on July 23, 1999, is the most sophisticated X-ray observatory built to date. (The Chandra Mission. April 21, 2009. [HERE]). ... "

In a seemingly never-ending quest by humans to discover what we, and all things, are made of, Chandra's fantastic systems pixel-ates for us the unseen high energy x-rays throughout our universe. Galaxies are studied to determine if the black hole in their centers came before or after the galaxies were formed.

We are surprised to find that "... The Chandra observatory was first proposed to NASA in 1976 and funding began in 1977 when NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center started the definition studies of the telescope."

Therefore MooPig, which was founded in the late 90's, was not included in the development of this project. That does not mean we cannot enjoy the results, eh?

There must be engineers around who have spent their whole work careers just on the Chandra Mission. We would like to interview one of those persons if possible.

" ... Teams of scientists, engineers, technicians and managers who work at numerous government centers, Universities and corporations have been building and assembling Chandra over the past twenty years. Many of these dedicated men and women have been involved in the project from its inception. (LINK) ..."

_______Reference
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/15/black.holes.nasa.chandra/
http://chandra.si.edu/about/axaf_mission.html
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap990727.html

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