Credit: ignacio197
XMM-Newton at 15
The X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission, now known as XMM-Newton, was launched 15 years ago. With its three large X-ray mirrors, three imaging cameras, high-resolution reflection grating spectrometer, and optical monitor, XMM-Newton obtains deep images and spectra of the X-ray universe. During the past 15 years XMM-Newton has generated breakthrough science. Some of the important science results made possible by XMM-Newton are the detection of emission from the distorted spacetime near supermassive black holes in the combined light of 100 distant galaxies; studies of massive star forming regions and stellar winds in collision; observations of neutron stars, including a strange, slowly-rotating pulsar; detection of a mysterious signal which may be the first electromagnetic dark matter signal; and deep images of apparently empty sky revealing the X-ray activity of supermassive black holes in the early Universe. The image above is an artistic representation made in celebration of XMM-Newton's 15th birthday by a digital artist who works for the XMM-Newton project.
Published: December 15, 2014
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Page Author: Dr. Michael F. Corcoran
Last modified Tuesday, 27-Feb-2024 10:13:32 EST