HEASARC News |
Important
Upcoming
Meetings
and
Proposals
Deadlines
|
The latest meetings added to the HEASARC's Meeting Page include:
the
2013 Conference on TeV Particle Astrophysics (TeVPA) meeting to
be held in Irvine, California from August 26 to 29, 2013,
the AtomDB Workshop
2013 to be held in Cambridge, Massachusetts on August 21 and 22,
2013,
the Fifty years of
Quasars: A Symposium in Honor of Maarten Schmidt
to be held in Pasadena, California from September 9 to 10, 2013, and
the 27th Texas Symposium on
Relativistic Astrophysics: "Celebrating 50 Years of Relativistic
Astrophysics" to be held in Dallas, Texas from December 8 to 13,
2013.
Upcoming proposal deadlines include:
the deadline for proposals to the Swift Guest Investigator - Cycle 10
component of NASA's ROSES-2013
program is September 26, 2013,
the anticipated deadline for
INTEGRAL AO-11 Data Rights Proposals is October 4, 2013, and
the anticipated deadline for
XMM-Newton AO13 Proposals is October 11, 2013.
|
Recent News
|
NICER observes the tail of a long-duration X-ray burst in the direction of MAXI J0911-655 (26 May 2020)
NICER observations in the region including the intermittent accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar MAXI J0911-655 show a decrease in temperature consistent with the cooling tail of a thermonuclear X-ray burst from the neutron star.
NICER observations of GRO J1008-57 (21 May 2020)
NICER has observed X-ray emission from the Be/X-ray binary system GRO J1008-57 during its current outburst. NICER finds a pulsation period of 93.205 with a spin period consistent with that measured at higher energies by the Fermi/GBM instrument. The spectrum is consistent with comptonized emission from an accretion disk with plus a blackbody, along with partial-covering absorption.
INTEGRAL Entered Emergency Safe Attitude Mode (ESAM) (19 May 2020)
On 16 May 2020 INTEGRAL entered Emergency Safe Attitude Mode following a Reaction Wheel Bias (RWB) maneuver. No science operations can be performed at this time.
A more detailed accounting of this anomaly and updates can be found at the above link.
INTEGRAL AO-18 Preliminary Statistics (19 May 2020)
ESA has released preliminary statistics for proposals submitted to INTEGRAL AO-18. A total of 52 proposals were received asking for approximately 70 Msec of observing time.
A breakdown of proposals by source category can be found at the above link.
XSPEC 12.11.0k Patch Released (18 May 2020)
XSPEC 12.11.0k has been released. This patch fixes an occasional issue with SVD decomposition convergence.
Update to the RXTE/PCA background model (15 May 2020)
An update to the RXTE PCA background model was released to the HEASARC Caldb (update version 20200515)
NuSTAR Caldb Update (14 May 2020)
The NuSTAR FPM caldb has been updated (update version 20200510). This release includes a new clock correction file, v101, using a more accurate estimate of the NuSTAR clock drift.
X-ray monitoring of the active magnetar SGR 1935+2154 (12 May 2020)
NuSTAR, Swift and NICER are monitoring the current X-ray outburst of the soft gamma-ray repeater, SGR 1935+2154
NuSTAR Caldb Update (06 May 2020)
The NuSTAR FPM caldb has been updated (update version 20200429). This release includes a new clock correction file using a more accurate estimate of the NuSTAR clock drift. The update also includes new ARF files to correct the low energy effective area due to thermal blanket tear in the optics associated with focal plane module FPMA.
Swift CALDB Data updated (05 May 2020)
The Swift SC clock correction file has been updated (CALDB update version 20200504).
XMMAO (XMM-Newton Accepted Targets) Table (30 Apr 2020)
The latest version of the table of accepted XMM-Newton targets,
updated to include AO-19 results, is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Burst forest from SGR 1935+2154 as detected with NICER (28 Apr 2020)
NICER observed the bursting magnetar SGR 1935+2154 in a series of observations. The NICER lightcurve shows over 100 bursts within a 1 kilosec observation.
CALDB.CONFIG file updated (25 Apr 2020)
The CALDB file caldb.config has been updated for HaloSat.
HEASoft 6.27.2 Released (23 Apr 2020)
Released April 23, 2020. This release includes a patch to NICERDAS.
XSPEC 12.11.0 Patches Released (23 Apr 2020)
XSPEC 12.11 has been released, along with various patches which address some user issues.
NuSTAR Cycle 6 Targets (21 Apr 2020)
The list of NuSTAR targets recommended by the Cycle 6 peer review is
now available. Cycle 6 observations will start to be routinely
performed on June 1, 2020. Evaluations will be sent to all NuSTAR
Cycle 6 proposal PIs in the next few weeks.
M31PHATCXO- M 31 Disk Chandra PHAT Survey: X-Ray Source Catalog
Released (20 Apr 2020)
The M31PHATCXO table presents data that combines deep
Chandra ACIS-I observations with extensive Hubble Space Telescope
(HST) imaging from the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT)
of the M 31 disk. The table contains 373 X-ray sources down to
0.35-8.0keV flux of 10-15erg/cm-2/s over 0.4deg2, 170 of which are
reported for the first time. The authors identify optical counterpart
candidates for 188 of the 373 sources, after using the HST data to
correct the absolute astrometry of our Chandra imaging to 0.1". The
associated table, M31PHATSFH, presents the star formation histories of the
regions surrounding potential high mass XRBs. The
data are available in Browse or
Xamin.
HaloSat SDD Calibration Database Released (18 Apr 2020)
The calibration database for the HaloSat SDD has been released to the HEASARC CALDB.
HaloSat archive opens (15 Apr 2020)
HaloSat, a Cubesat mission led by the University of Iowa (PI P. Kaaret), was designed to
survey the distribution of hot gas in the Milky Way and constrain the
mass and geometry of the Galactic halo. The first year of observations are now part of the
HEASARC public archive.
NICER sees the Shortest X-ray Recovery of Eta Carinae (15 Apr 2020)
NICER observations of the last X-ray minimum of Eta Car show that it began on Feb 13, 2020, and ended on March 15, 2020. This X-ray minimum is now the shortest on record.
Timeline tool updated (14 Apr 2020)
Support for HaloSat has been added to the Timeline
tool.
Web Hera 3.5 Released (14 Apr 2020)
Updated April 13, 2020. New dual user data directory explorers, new multi output terminal windows.
Fv 5.5.2 released (14 Apr 2020)
Updated April 2018; bug fixes, other enhancements.
HEASoft 6.27.1 Released (14 Apr 2020)
Released April 13, 2020. This release includes a patch to NuSTARDAS.
XAMIN updated (14 Apr 2020)
The HEASARC XAMIN archive interface has been updated to version 6.8b. Fixed the order of DESCRIPTION and VALUES in VOTABLE FIELDs..
Important NuSTARDAS update for recent observations (13 Apr 2020)
V1.9.2 of the NuSTAR Data Analysis Software (NuSTARDAS) was
released in the HEASoft v6.27.1 patch release. It is required to
analyze any observation performed after 3/16/2020. This is due to an
adjustment of the onboard laser metrology system undertaken to improve
the longevity of the flight hardware. There is no change to the
quality of the science data.
Chandra CALDB 4.9.1 installed at the HEASARC (03 Apr 2020)
The Chandra CalDB 4.9.1 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.9.1 was released by the CXC on April 3, 2020. Note that CALDB 4.9.1 is compatible with CIAO 4.12 and later versions only.
xTime tool enhanced (01 Apr 2020)
Support for INTEGRAL Julian Dates has been added. Also, xTime
will now calculate time intervals (in days/hours/minutes/seconds, fractional
days, and total seconds) between successive date/time conversions.
HEASoft 6.27 Released (31 Mar 2020)
Released March 31, 2020. This release includes updates to NICER
and NuSTARanalysis software only and other fixes/improvements. In particular CFITSIO now interprets parentheses in path names correctly which improves compatibility with files stored on cloud services.
2020 NASA Awards Prize Postdoctoral Fellows Selected (30 Mar 2020)
NASA has selected 24 new Fellows for its prestigious NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (NHFP). The program enables outstanding postdoctoral scientists to pursue independent research across NASA Astrophysics, using theory, observation, experimentation, or instrument
development. Each fellowship provides the awardee up to three years
of support.
Full biographies and other information about this year's Fellows, including each Fellow's research plans, are available
at this link.
INTEGRAL AO-18 Proposal Deadline Postponed (30 Mar 2020)
The INTEGRAL AO-18 proposal submission deadline has been postponed from Friday, 3 April to Monday, 4 May 14:00 CEST as result of
the COVID-19 crisis.
ESA will continue to follow developments closely and may provide additional updates in the next weeks,
at the latest by Monday, 20 April.
Swift-BAT 105-Month All-Sky Hard Band X-Ray Survey (SWBAT105M) released (27 Mar 2020)
The SWBAT105M table includes hard X-ray sources detected
in the first 105-months of observations with the BAT coded-mask imager
on board the Swift observatory and provides 1632 (422 new detections)
hard X-ray sources in the 14-195 keV band above the 4.8 sigma
significance level. This catalog is
now available in Browse and
Xamin.
NICER follow-up observation and a candidate timing anomaly from Swift J1818.0-1607 (25 Mar 2020)
NICER followup observations of the magnetar candidate Swift J1818.0-1607 imply a spin down age of 310 years based on the period derivative. This makes Swift J1818.0-1607 one of the youngest magnetars known.
Viewing tool updated (20 Mar 2020)
The Swift pole constraints have been updated in the Viewing
tool. The revised coefficients extrapolate the trend for the next
year.
SkyView V3.5.2: Updates and Bug Fixes (19 Mar 2020)
SkyView version 3.5.2 is now available for testing. There are two changes to surveys and one to the underlying code. The data for the GLEAM surveys has been updated with substantial improvements in coverage. The problem with the SDSS surveys ... Continue reading ...
NICER and NuSTAR detections of Type I bursts and periodic dips in Swift J1858.6-0814 (18 Mar 2020)
Observations of the low-mass X-ray binary Swift J1858.6-0814 by NuSTAR and NICER detected three thermonuclear "Type I" X-ray bursts, which strongly suggest that the compact object in Swift J1858.6-0814 is a neutron star. NICER observations also show deep, prolonged dips with a period of roughly 78640 s which may be due to the eclipse of the compact object by the companion star.
SkyView erroneously linking to SDSS DR8 data (17 Mar 2020)
Although the survey documentation indicates that SkyView has been using the SDSS DR9, it has been using the DR8 data internally. The main difference is that there are some astrometric corrections in the DR9. The releases since the DR9 have ... Continue reading ...
NICER detection of 1.36 sec periodicity from a new magnetar, Swift J1818.0-1607 (13 Mar 2020)
NICER observations of a new soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR) candidate, Swift J1818.0-1607, revealed the presence of a 1.36 second period in the X-ray emission. This period suggests that Swift J1818.0-1607 is a new magnetar. If so, this source would have the shortest period of any known magnetar.
Swift CALDB Data updated (09 Mar 2020)
The Swift SC clock correction file has been updated (CALDB update version 20200305).
XSPEC 12.10.1q,r,s Patches Released (09 Mar 2020)
XSPEC 12.10.1q patch fixes an issue with the statistic command with the whittle option. XSPEC 12.10.1r fixes a crash issue when calculating chi-square using some compilers. XSPEC 12.10.s addresses an issuerunning chains of type Goodman-Weare
PIMMS updated to Version 4.11 (09 Mar 2020)
Version 4.11 contains an updated X-ray absorption model (an approximation of tbabs) which is now the default, and an updated instrument specific outputs for XMM-Newton EPIC pn instrument.
NICER Helps Usher the Golden Age of Neutron Star Research (04 Mar 2020)
A new Nature article describes how researchers are getting closer to solving the enigmatic nature of neutron stars, in part thanks to the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER)
NICER Cycle 2 Accepted Proposals (03 Mar 2020)
The NICER mission has released the list of accepted Cycle 2 proposals, along with a list of
accepted targets with approved coordinated NuSTAR time. Cycle 2 observations began on March 1, 2020.
X-ray and near-infrared observation of rebrightening of MAXI J1348-630 (03 Mar 2020)
New NICER observations of this black hole binary candidate confirmed the re-brightening of the system seen by MAXI in November and show the source to be in a hard state, possibly indicating the presence of a jet.
INTEGRAL AO-18 Call For Observing Proposals is Open (02 Mar 2020)
This announcement solicits proposals for observations to be carried out from January 2021 for a period of 12 months.
Proposers from all over the world are welcome to participate. All proposals will be subject to an independent peer
review by the INTEGRAL Time Allocation Committee (TAC). The deadline for proposal submission is Friday 3 April 2020, 14:00 CEST.
NICER detection of flux increase and spectral state change in Swift 1858.6-0814 (02 Mar 2020)
Recent NICER observations of the low-mass X-ray binary Swift J1858.6-0814 show that the system is in an unusual state, in which the soft X-ray flux has increase by about a factor of 30 over the previous quiescent level, with little variability in the NICER observations.
NICER Observations of the 2020 X-ray Minimum of eta Carinae (24 Feb 2020)
NICER has observed the 2020 X-ray minimum of eta Carinae, a long-period eccentric binary system which produces X-ray emission from the collision of the powerful stellar winds from the two stars. X-ray monitoring observations with NICER showed that the X-ray minimum began on 2020-02-13, at which time the observed X-ray flux dropped by about two orders of magnitude from the peak flux seem about 1 month earlier. The NICER observations help establish variations in the stellar wind mass loss and provide a probe of the dense inner wind of the Luminous Blue Variable primary star.
NICER XTI CALDB Updated (24 Feb 2020)
The NICER XTI caldb has been updated to version 20200202. This version updates both the detector response file and the effective area of the XTI.
Fermi Science Tools Updated (13 Feb 2020)
The FermiTools (formerly the SAE) were updated to version 1.2.23 on February 11, 2020. This release includes the NewMinuit package for statistical fitting, adds the PLSuperExpCutoff3 model and provides support for RadialDisk model to ModelEditor, along with bug fixes.
Re-brightening and decaying of MAXI J1348-630 as observed with NICER (11 Feb 2020)
NICER observations of a new black hole candidate MAXI J1348-630 from Feb. 7 to 10 showed the source declining in X-ray flux by about a factor of 2 during this interval. NICER spectra show that the source is currently in the hard state. NICER will continue monitoring the source about once per day until the outburst fades.
Initial NICER observations of the mysterious source Swift J0840.7-3516 (aka GRB 200205A) and detection of short X-ray flaring activity (07 Feb 2020)
The source Swift J0840.7-3516 was originally reported as a Gamma-ray burst sourcce by the Swift BAT on February 5. Followup observations by the Swift XRT showed X-ray emission that was inconsistent with a GRB, along with the possible detection of an 8.96 seconds. Followup X-ray observations with NICER showed X-ray flaring during which the X-ray flux increasd by a factor of 4, but did not confirm the X-ray period.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v6.4c) (05 Feb 2020)
The latest version (v6.4c, 31 Dec 2019) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2019)
containing a lot more than one million (1,979,676 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
NICER observes a new outburst of V4641 Sgr (04 Feb 2020)
V4641 Sgr is a binary system that contains a 6.4 solar mass black hole which went into X-ray outburst in early January. Observations by NICER on January 31 provided the best measure of the 2-10 keV spectrum and showed an inner disk radius temperature of about 1.5 keV, with no visible features in the power spectrum in the short NICER observation.
XMMSTACK- XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source
Catalog from Stacked Observations (4XMM-DR9s) Released (03 Feb 2020)
The stacked catalog (XMMSTACK) and associated observation
data (
XMMSTACKOB) offer new versions of the stacked catalog built
from 6,604 4XMM-DR9 overlapping observations. XMMSTACK contains 1,329
stacks (or groups). The catalog contains 288,191 sources, with each
observation also provided in the associated XMMSTACKOB table. Both are
now available in Browse and
Xamin.
NICER sees a state change in MAXI J0637-430 (30 Jan 2020)
NICER observations of the newly-discovered X-ray transient MAXI J0637-430 indicate that the source is a black hole X-ray binary system. Recent observations detail the decline of the soft, thermal X-ray emission from the source which entered a hard state on January 14, 2020, indicating a signficant change in the accretion disk around the black hole.
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalog (4XMM-DR9) Released (28 Jan 2020)
The most recent, updated version of this catalog (from Webb et al.,submitted) containing 810,795
X-ray source detections (an increase of 962 more observations and
35,642 more detections since the previous version 3XMM-DR8) drawn from a
total of 11,204 XMM-Newton EPIC observations made between 2000 Feb 1 and 2019
February 26 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR Cycle 6 Proposal Deadline is Near, Proposals MUST be Anonymized (17 Jan 2020)
Phase-1 science proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. EST, January 24, 2020. Please see the
Guide for Proposers and the
Guidelines for Anonymous Proposals for more details.
Swift CALDB Data updated (08 Jan 2020)
The Swift SC clock correction file has been updated (CALDB update version 20200106).
NuSTAR CALDB Update (19 Dec 2019)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on December 19, 2019 (CALDB version 20191219). This is a patch release for update 20191213.
Chandra Source Catalog v2 (CSC) Released (19 Dec 2019)
The Chandra Source Catalog (CSC) is the definitive catalog of X-ray
sources detected by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. By combining
Chandra's sub-arcsecond on-axis spatial resolution and low
instrumental background with consistent data processing, the CSC
delivers a wide variety of uniformly calibrated properties and
science ready data products for detected sources over four decades
of flux. The second major release of the catalog, CSC 2.0, includes measured properties for 317,167 unique compact and extended X-ray sources in the sky, allowing statistical analysis of large samples, as well as individual source studies in the "Master Sources" table, available in Browse and
Xamin.
HEAD Fall 2019 newsletter released (19 Dec 2019)
This newsletter is available now for your reading pleasure at your electronic HEAD newsstand !
ARK/RPS Downtime Scheduled for 2019-12-18 Completed (18 Dec 2019)
The scheduled maintenance for the ARK database has completed,
and ARK/RPS is fully operational. If you encounter any issues, please contact
the ARK Help Desk.
XSPEC 12.10.1o,p Patches Released (18 Dec 2019)
XSPEC 12.10.1.o patch fixes an error when 2 or more named models are in use; 12.10.1p extends the precision of floats to double precision for certain local variables in the Poisson randomization algorithm.
Chandra CALDB 4.9.0 installed at the HEASARC (17 Dec 2019)
The Chandra CalDB 4.9.0 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.9.0 was released by the CXC on December 17, 2019...
ARK/RPS Downtime Scheduled for 2019-12-18 (16 Dec 2019)
ARK/RPS will be down for maintenance starting on Wednesday,
December 18, 2019, at ~2:00pm. It should be back up within a few hours.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (16 Dec 2019)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on December 16, 2019 (CALDB version 20191213). This updates the NuSTAR bad pixel and gain files for FPMA and FPMB.
NASA's NICER Delivers Best-ever Pulsar Measurements, 1st Surface Map (12 Dec 2019)
Astrophysicists have redrawn the textbook image of pulsars thanks to new detailed monitoring by NICER of the X-ray pulsar J0030+0451. NICER's detailed measurement of the X-ray pulse shape allowed the distribution of X-ray hot spots over the surface of the pulsar to be mapped out, and determined precise values for the size and mass of the pulsar. A series of papers analyzing NICER's observations of J0030 appears in a focus issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v6.4) (11 Dec 2019)
The latest version (v6.4, 11 Dec 2019) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2019)
containing a lot more than one million (1,968,377 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
Happy 20th Birthday to XMM! (10 Dec 2019)
Two decades ago today the X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission
(XMM-Newton) launched into orbit. A pioneering satellite for studying
the universe with different kinds of light, XMM-Newton has studied
over half a million X-ray sources, including supernovae,
star-shredding black holes and superdense neutron stars. In honor of
XMM's 20th anniversary here is a
video.
SkyView v3.5.1: CopyWCS and SIA fixes (09 Dec 2019)
We have just released SkyView v3.5.1 which has a couple of fixes that shouldn’t affect most people. A bug in the handling of the CopyWCS keyword has been fixed. CopyWCS is a keyword which allows a SkyView-in-a-Jar user to specify ... Continue reading ...
XMM-Newton AO-19 Results Released (3 Dec 2019)
The list of XMM-Newton observing proposals accepted by the AO-19 Observing Time Allocation Committee is now available.
An X-ray Flare from eta Carinae as seen by NICER (03 Dec 2019)
NICER monitoring of the massive colliding wind binary eta Carinae as the stars approach periastron passage has detected a sudden X-ray brightening. This X-ray flare is similar to the X-ray flaring seen at a similar orbital phase in previous binary orbital cycles. X-ray flaring should continue until the star reaches it X-ray maximum before the decline to the X-ray minimum on 2020 February 13.
Viewing tool updated (02 Dec 2019)
Support for the upcoming IXPE mission has been added to
Viewing.
IRAM NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) Observation Log
Updated (25 Nov 2019)
The third version of the IRAM NOEMA - the successor to the
Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) - observing log (Dan et al. 1991-2017,
IRAM Newsletters) containing 2,180 observations from May 31, 2015 through
November 12, 2019 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
NICER detection of 9.29 s pulsations from RX J0209.6-7427 (25 Nov 2019)
NICER observations of the hard X-ray transient MAXI J0206-749 = HMXB RX J0209.6-7427 revealed a strong 9.29 s X-ray periodicity, making this system only the second confirmed pulsar in the Magellanic Cloud bridge.
NICER detection of a strong X-ray flare from GRS 1915+105 (25 Nov 2019)
NICER detected a strong flare from the black hole binary system GRS 1915+105 during the source's current low flux state. The NICER flare was the largest yet seen from this system. This X-ray flare may have been the precursor to a strong radio flare seen from the source a short time after the NICER observation.
Chandra CALDB 4.8.5 installed at the HEASARC (08 Nov 2019)
The Chandra CalDB 4.8.5 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.8.5 was released by the CXC on November 7, 2019...
NASA's NICER Catches Record-setting X-ray Burst (07 Nov 2019)
NICER detected an intense burst of X-rays at about 10:04 p.m. EDT on Aug. 20 from a massive thermonuclear flash on the surface of the pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658. This is the brightest burst seen by NICER so far. The burst shows a remarkable two-stage evolution in flux, along with and burst oscillations at the known pulsar spin frequency.
NICER Background Estimator Tools (30 Oct 2019)
Software tools to estimate background in NICER observations are under development, based on analysis of deep NICER exposures of "blank-sky" fields. "Alpha-release" versions of these tools are now available to help NICER observers better estimate backgound in observations and proposals. Understanding of the NICER background is still evolving so the estimates provided by these new tools should be used with caution.
NICER detection of two thermonuclear (Type I) X-ray bursts establishes that MAXI J1807+132 hosts a neutron star. (29 Oct 2019)
NICER has detected two thermonuclear X-ray bursts from the new MAXI X-ray transient MAXI J1807+132, discovered in March 2019. The detection of these bursts show that the system is an LMXB with a neutron star primary.
NuSTAR Cycle 6 now Accepting Proposals (25 Oct 2019)
The NuSTAR General Observer (GO) Program is soliciting proposals for observations during observing Cycle 6. Phase-1 science proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time January 24, 2020. For more information see the NuSTAR Proposal page.
Swift CALDB Data updated (23 Oct 2019)
The Swift SC clock correction file has been updated (CALDB update version 20191017), and the Swift XRT caldb has been updated to version 20190910.
NICER Observes X-ray Brightening of a Tidal Disruption Event Candidate (23 Oct 2019)
NICER observations reveal that the tidal disruption candidate source AT2019azh showed a late-time brightening which perhaps indicates the formation of a transient accretion debris disk around the supermassive black hole.
SkyView V3.5.0 released: Planck DR3 Data (22 Oct 2019)
We have just made SkyView v3.5.0 the default version for the system. In addition to the changes discussed in the prior post, we’ve updated the Planck surveys to use the latest DR3 release. This version also fixes a bug that ... Continue reading ...
NICER is Back in Operation (21 Oct 2019)
NICER is operating normally after stowing for last week's ISS operations.
SkyView v3.5.0: Compound surveys (17 Oct 2019)
We announced a test release of SkyView v3.4.5 a few weeks ago, but in trying out the new version we recognized that it did not do what we wanted. In particular we had added new surveys that were the Stokes ... Continue reading ...
NuSTAR CALDB Update (16 Oct 2019)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on October 16, 2019 (CALDB version 20191008). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 96, valid through 2019-10-08.
NICER Stowed Due to ISS Operations (15 Oct 2019)
In support of ISS operations, NICER has been stowed since Sunday, October 13. As a result, NICER is not currently taking requests for Target of Opportunity observations. We anticipate that NICER observations will resume as soon as the ISS operations are completed.
NICER observations of the X-ray transient MAXI J1807+132: flaring activity (08 Oct 2019)
NICER has been monitoring the X-ray transient MAXI J1807+132 regularly since September 16. During this time, NICER detected brief, sudden episodes of X-ray brightening which may be analogous to similar flaring behavior seen near the end of the 2017 outburst of the source.
Fermi Science Tools Updated (07 Oct 2019)
The FermiTools (formerly the SAE) were updated to version 1.2.1 on October 4, 2019. This release contains a major update to the implementation of the energy dispersion correction method in the Fermitools. It also includes new tool called gtdrm that estimates the energy dispersion matrix for the energy binning, and fixes a bug which was preventing updated parameter files from installing.
M33 Supernova Remnant Catalog (M33SNRXMM) Catalog Released (02 Oct 2019)
The M 33 Supernova Remnant (SNR) catalog comprises of
deep observations of eight fields in M 33. This catalog includes 105
SNRs, detected at the 3-sigma level, of which 54 SNRs are newly
detected in X-rays, and three are newly discovered SNRs. This catalog
also includes optical emission line ratio data and results from X-ray
spectral fitting, based on deep Chandra survey data. This table is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XAMIN updated (02 Oct 2019)
The HEASARC XAMIN archive interface has been updated to version 6.4. This release is a major update to installation utilities, along with other improvements.
XSPEC 12.10.1n Patch Released (02 Oct 2019)
This patch fixes an issue with the Pearson chi-square (pchi) test statistic calculatoin when a spectrum has mulitple models assigned to it.
PIMMS updated to Version 4.10a (02 Oct 2019)
Version 4.10a contains an updated set of effective area curves for XMM-Newton EPIC instruments, suitable for AO-19 proposals
NICER observes increasing luminosity from XTE J1739-285 (30 Sep 2019)
From September 27 to September 30, NICER observed this newly active Galactic Center high-energy transient. The NICER observations show that the X-ray flux in the 0.1-10 keV band more than doubled over a timespan of about 3 days, with a coincident increase in black body temperature.
NICER observations of the X-ray transient MAXI J1807+132 (27 Sep 2019)
NICER observations of the new X-ray transient MAXI J1807+132, discovered on September 10. The NICER observations show large variations from 200 NICER counts per second to 14 counts per second within a week. The nature of this source, based on this initial analysis (and on obsevations in other wavebands), is uncertain, and additional observations are planned.
NICER follows up the rapidly variable and rising nuclear transient AT2019pevr (27 Sep 2019)
NICER observation of this unusual source on 2019 September 25 found a 0.3-2 keV X-ray flux that is nearly 10 times brighter than the X-ray flux measured by Swift/XRT just one day earlier and about 100 times brighter than the archival ROSAT detection.
MAXI CALDB updated (25 Sep 2019)
The MAXI CALDB has been updated for both the SSC and GSC. The SSC CALDB has been updated to version 20190916. The GSC CALDB has been updated to version 20190916.
SkyView V3.4.5: New Surveys and Projection (19 Sep 2019)
We’re announcing a test release of SkyView V3.4.5. The new version includes the DRAO 22 MHz survey of most of the sky. This is now the lowest energy survey in SkyView. See Rogers et al, 1999 for details. In addition ... Continue reading ...
Chandra CALDB 4.8.4.1 installed at the HEASARC (13 Sep 2019)
The Chandra CalDB 4.8.4.1 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.8.4 was released by the CXC on September 13, 2019...
NICER detection of a 83 s periodicity in the super-soft source emission from V3890 Sgr (09 Sep 2019)
Following the detection of super-soft source (SSS) emission from the recurrent nova V3890 Sgr by the Swift-XRT (Page et al., ATel#13084), NICER observations reveal a clear oscillation on a timescale of 83 s. The origin of this short-period modulation is possibly related to the spin of the white dwarf, or nonradial pulsations driven by an instability in the nuclear burning rate of the hot white dwarf.
NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (NHFP) Now Accepting Applications (4 Sep 2019)
The NHFP supports promising postdoctoral scientists
performing independent research that contributes to NASA
Astrophysics. The research may be theoretical,
observational, and/or instrumental.
The Announcement of Opportunity, which includes detailed program
policies and application instructions, is available at the website. The application submission page will be open from September 3 until November 4, 2019.
NICER detects a high luminosity reflare from SAX J1808.4-3658 (04 Sep 2019)
NICER monitoring of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 showed an unusually bright, abrupt and soft reflare from SAX J1808.4-3658 on 2019 Sep 3, during which, over the span of 5.7 hours, the observed count-rate increased fivefold. A 401 Hz QPO was also detected during this reflare. This suggests that the accretion disk has suddenly become smaller in radius.
Chandra CALDB 4.8.4 installed at the HEASARC (03 Sep 2019)
The Chandra CalDB 4.8.4 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.8.4 was released by the CXC on September 3, 2019...
XMM-Newton AO-19 Solicitation Released (20 Aug 2019)
XMM-Newton observing proposals are solicited in response to the Nineteenth Announcement of Opportunity.
Swift CALDB Data updated (15 Aug 2019)
The Swift SC clock correction file has been updated (CALDB update version 20190813).
PIMMS updated to Version 4.10 (15 Aug 2019)
Version 4.10 contains updates for NICER, suitable for Cycle 2 proposals. Note that the broadband background rate reported by version 4.9/4.9a included background counts below 0.2 keV, where the rate is very high. Version 4.10 restricts brodadband count rates for both source and background to the 0.2-12 keV range. This version also contains the current effective area curves for Athena X-IFU
XSPEC 12.10.1m Patch Released (15 Aug 2019)
This patch updates rdblur, kdblur, kdblur2, kerrconv for considerable speed improvements over previous patches, and removes the outdated relline, relline_lp, relline_lp_ext, relconv, relconv_lp, and relconv_lp_ext models.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (12 Aug 2019)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on August 8, 2019 (CALDB version 20190827). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 95, valid through 2019-08-12.
XSPEC 12.10.1l Patch Released (08 Aug 2019)
The HDUVERS1 keyword has been updated from '1.1.0' to '1.2.1' since CHANNEL and COUNTS columns can be written in 'J' format in output files generated by the fakeit command.
NICER detects X-ray pulsations from the rapidly brightening SAX J1808.4-3658 (08 Aug 2019)
NICER monitoring of the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar SAX J1808.4-3658 successfully recovered a 401 Hz pulsation after correcting for delays due to the known binary orbit. The time of ascending node derived from the timing solution is 27 seconds earlier than predicted, which indicates that the orbital expansion is proceeding more slowly than expected.
NICER detection of QPOs from EXO 1846-031 (01 Aug 2019)
Following reports of renewed activity from the X-ray transient EXO 1846-031, NICER executed rapid follow-up observations. These observations detected a sharp QPO at 0.26 Hz. The timing and X-ray spectrum suggest that this source is a black hole X-ray binary in the hard state.
Happy 20th Birthday to Chandra! (24 Jul 2019)
In honor of Chandra's 20th launch anniversary, the
Chandra X-ray Center
has produced the following exciting anniversary items: a newsletter
featuring articles on 20 years of operation, instrument, updates, and
more; a photo gallery; and a video titled "First Light:
Celebrating 20 years of Chandra Observatory"
GSFC X-ray Technology Opens New Frontiers in Space and on Earth (24 Jul 2019)
The Miniaturized High-Speed Modulated X-ray Source (MXS) has been chosen as NASA's 2019 Government Invention of the Year. MXS was developed by Keith Gendreau (the NICER Project Scientist) and Zaven Arzoumanian (the NICER Deputy Project Scientist) and was used in the ground calibration of NICER. It also can help generate medical images similar to a CT scan for patients on earth and for astronauts in space.
Updated IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer Observation Log (24 Jul 2019)
The latest version of the IRAM PdBI observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2017, IRAM Newsletters) containing 21,396 observations
completed through March 31, 2017 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Fermi Science Tools Updated (18 Jul 2019)
The FermiTools (formerly the SAE) were updated to version 1.0.10 on July 15, 2019. This release Added PLSuperExpCutoff2 model to modeleditor.
INTEGRAL AO-17 General Program Approved (15 Jul 2019)
The INTEGRAL AO-17 General Programme, as recommended by the Time Allocation Committee (TAC) and approved by ESA's Director of Science (Prof. Günther Hasinger),
has been released and the observers have been informed.
XAMIN updated (12 Jul 2019)
The HEASARC XAMIN archive interface has been updated to version 6.3a. This release adds Chandra to HiPS in the Aladin Lite image display, and other improvements.
XSPEC 12.10.1k Patch Released (12 Jul 2019)
Fix for corner case usage of the slimbh mode.
Viewing tool updated (11 Jul 2019)
The Swift pole constraints have been updated in the Viewing
tool. The revised coefficients extrapolate the trend for the next
year.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (01 Jul 2019)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on July 1, 2019 (CALDB version 20190627). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 94, valid through 2019-06-27.
Fermi Science Tools Updated (01 Jul 2019)
The FermiTools (formerly the SAE) were updated to version 1.0.9 on July 1, 2019. This release fixes a critical interface issue with Fermitools version reporting in pyLikelihood.
HEASoft 6.26.1 Patch Released (26 Jun 2019)
Released June 26, 2019. This release includes updates to NICER
and Swift data analysis software only. (Though it also includes a patch
to rbnrmf applied previously to the 6.26 downloads.)
XSPEC 12.10.1j Patch Released (26 Jun 2019)
Fix to show pha and plot delchi commands.
Fermi Science Tools Updated (20 Jun 2019)
The FermiTools (formerly the SAE) were updated to version 1.0.7 on Junr 19, 2019. This release fixes a compilation error in the SolarSystemTools, and fixes the ST_Version method to work correctly with Fermipy in pyLikelihood.
XSPEC 12.10.1i Patch Released (18 Jun 2019)
Updates the libraries that are included when a local model Xspec is built.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v6.3) (17 Jun 2019)
The latest version (v6.3, 22 June 2019) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2019)
containing a lot more than one million (1,986,800 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR Cycle 5 Results (17 Jun 2019)
The list of NuSTAR targets recommended by the Cycle 5 peer
review is now available. Cycle 5 observations will start to be
routinely performed on July 1, 2019. Evaluations will be sent
to all NuSTAR Cycle 5 proposal PIs in the next few weeks.
XMM-SAS v. 18 released (12 Jun 2019)
XMM-SAS version 18.0.0 was released on June 10, 2019.
XSPEC 12.10.1h Patch Released (10 Jun 2019)
This patch fixes a crash that can occur with the relconv convolution models.
Swift CALDB Data updated (09 Jun 2019)
The Swift SC clock correction file has been updated (CALDB update version 20190607).
Omega Centauri Globular Cluster X-ray Point Source Catalog (OMEGCENCX2) Catalog Released (04 Jun 2019)
The Omega Centauri Globular Cluster Chandra Deep Survey
X-Ray Point Source Catalog (OMEGCENCX2) presents 233 X-ray sources
using a deep (222-ks) survey of the omega Centauri Globular Cluster
region. This table is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XSPEC 12.10.1g Patch Released (04 Jun 2019)
This patch fixes a general-case calculation bug in the kerrconv model that was introduced in patch 12.10.1d.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v6.2) (03 Jun 2019)
The latest version (v6.2, 22 May 2019) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2019)
containing a lot more than one million (1,981,261 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
Chandra CALDB 4.8.3 installed at the HEASARC (03 Jun 2019)
The Chandra CalDB 4.8.3 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.8.3 was released by the CXC on May 23, 2019...
Ultra-luminous X-ray pulsar NGC 300 ULX1 experienced unprecedented spin evolution, study finds (31 May 2019)
NASA's NICER image shows 22 months of X-ray data recorded by the Space Station payload during its nighttime moves between targets.
NASA's NICER Shows Entire Sky in X-rays in Stunning Arc Image (31 May 2019)
NASA's NICER image shows 22 months of X-ray data recorded by the Space Station payload during its nighttime moves between targets.
NASA Navigation Tech Highlights X-ray Navigation Using Pulsars (30 May 2019)
X-ray navigation is a technology that NASA has already demonstrated on the International Space Station. X-ray navigation uses the ultra-regular oscillations of distant pulsars, a type of neutron star, for timing and location data.
Updated survey documentation for SkyView v3.4.3 (23 May 2019)
We have updated the survey documentation page. It had gotten out of date and was missing some survey information. The Contents listing the available surveys by wavelength regime had been incomplete but is now generated automatically from all of the ... Continue reading ...
HEASoft 6.26 Released (21 May 2019)
Released May 21, 2019. This release is primarily driven by updates to the NICER data analysis software, but also includes support for ftps, and other enhancements.
Fermi Science Tools Updated (21 May 2019)
The FermiTools (formerly the SAE) were updated to version 1.0.5 on May 20, 2019.
HEAD Spring 2019 newsletter released (20 May 2019)
This newsletter is available now for your reading pleasure at your electronic HEAD newsstand !
NICER XTI CALDB Updated (20 May 2019)
The NICER XTI caldb has been updated to version 20190516.
nH tool updated (16 May 2019)
The nH tool has been updated with support for the HI4PI survey
map. This new map is now the default. The X-Ray Background Tool has also been
updated to use the HI4PI map.
X-Ray Observations of Compact Group Galaxies (HCGXRBS) Catalog Released (14 May 2019)
The X-ray Observations of Compact Group Galaxies
(HCGXRBS) catalog presents the total galaxy
X-ray luminosities and other measured X-ray properties, based on
Chandra observations, for 47 galaxies within a sample of 15
compact groups, as well as their multiwavelength properties such as star
formation rates and stellar masses. This table is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v6.1) (14 May 2019)
The latest version (v6.1, 12 May 2019) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2019)
containing a lot more than one million (1,981,004 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
SkyView in a Jar file size fixed (07 May 2019)
The SkyView in a Jar file has been overly large lately. (We mistakenly included a bunch of unnecessary files when building the jar last time.) This has now been fixed so that the file size is back down to roughly ... Continue reading ...
XSPEC 12.10.1f Patch Released (29 Apr 2019)
This patch fixes some parsing issues with the "statistic test" command.
Fermi Science Tools Updated (29 Apr 2019)
The FermiTools (formerly the SAE) were updated to version 1.0.2 on April 22, 2019.
Swift CALDB Data updated (22 Apr 2019)
The Swift XRT CALDB has been updated (CALDB update version 20190412).
XSPEC 12.10.1cde Patches Released (11 Apr 2019)
Update (c) adds an optional argument to the PyXspec Fit.error() function to allow for error estimates on response parameters; (d) fixes a bug the rdblur, kdblur, kdblur2, and kerrconv convolution models; and (e) fixes a bug in the mdefine command.
XAMIN updated (11 Apr 2019)
The HEASARC XAMIN archive interface has been updated to version 6.0a. This release has many changes associated with use of DataLink to extract data products. It has also been updated to minimize the chance of OutOfMemory errors.
Swift CALDB Data updated (08 Apr 2019)
The Swift SC clock correction has been updated (CALDB update version 20190405).
2019 NHFP/Einstein Postdoctoral Fellows Selected (5 Apr 2019)
NASA has announced the selection of the 2019 NASA Hubble
Fellowship Program (NHFP), which supports postdoctoral fellows
performing research across all of NASA astrophysics. NHFP postdocs are
named as Hubble, Einstein, and Sagan fellows, depending on their
research topics. Awards support each Fellow through a U.S. Host
Institution for up to three years.
Full biographies and other information about this year's Fellows, including each Fellow's research plans, are available
at this link.:
Planck Catalog of Galactic Cold Clumps (PlanckGCC) Released (5 Apr 2019)
The Planck Catalog of Galactic Cold Clumps (PGCC) is an
all-sky catalog of 13188 Galactic cold clump candidates detected by
Planck. This table is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Milky Way molecular cloud catalog(MWMC) Released (5 Apr 2019)
The Milky Way molecular cloud catalog presents 8107
molecular clouds that were detected in CO, covering the entire
Galactic plane. This table is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Timeline tool updated (05 Apr 2019)
The Timeline Tool has been enhanced to be more user-friendly.
If no date is entered, it will now respond with the most recent date for
which timeline data exists for the specified mission. Also, if only one date
is queried, quick links to go to the previous and next days in the mission
timeline are presented.
Updated IRAM 30-m Telescope Observation Log (18 Mar 2019)
The latest version of the IRAM 30-m telescope observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2017, IRAM Newsletters) containing 558,950 observations
completed through December 31, 2017 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Updated IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer Observation Log (18 Mar 2019)
The latest version of the IRAM PdBI observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2017, IRAM Newsletters) containing 21,061 observations
completed through March 31, 2017 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v6) (18 Mar 2019)
The latest version (v6, 15 March 2019) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2019)
containing a lot more than one million (1,983,729 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (15 Mar 2019)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on March 15, 2019 (CALDB version 20190314). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 91, valid through 2019-03-14.
Release of Updated Fourth Catalog of Fermi-LAT Sources (07 Mar 2019)
The (4FGL) catalog is based on the first eight years of LAT science
data and is the largest and deepest ever in this energy range. It
contains 5098 sources of gamma-rays from 50 MeV to 1 TeV. The source catalog
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (05 Mar 2019)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on March 5, 2019 (CALDB version 20190228). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 90, valid through 2019-02-28.
NuSTAR Cycle 5: Proposal Due Date March 29, 2019, Start of Observations July 1, 2019 (26 Feb 2019)
The start of Cycle 5 (11 month duration) observations has been changed from
June 1 to July 1, 2019 (no change in available total time). Cycle 5
proposers, please take this into account for visibility windows. Cycle
4 observations will extend into June. Please see the
Guide for Proposers for more details.
INTEGRAL AO-17 Call For Observing Proposals is Open (25 Feb 2019)
This announcement solicits proposals for observations to be carried out from January 2020 for a period of 12 months.
Proposers from all over the world are welcome to participate. All proposals will be subject to an independent peer
review by the INTEGRAL Time Allocation Committee (TAC). The deadline for proposal submission is Friday 5 April 2019, 14:00 CEST.
Swift CALDB Data updated (05 Feb 2019)
The Swift SC clock correction has been updated (CALDB update version 20190129).
Updated ROSES 2018 proposal deadlines (04 Feb 2019)
Several NASA ROSES deadlines have been updated
and the full list can be found
in the ROSES 2018 Table 2. HEASARC
lists the major upcoming deadlines for the submission of high-energy
and general astrophysics and/or other missions which may be of
interest to HEASARC users here.
INTEGRAL AO-17 Schedule Announced (29 Jan 2019)
The ISOC is preparing the next call for proposals requesting INTEGRAL observing time. The AO-17 release will be on 25 Feb 2019 with
proposals due on 5 April 2019 (14:00 CEST).
NuSTAR Guest Observer (GO) Cycle 5 Deadline is now TBD (17 Jan 2019)
The due date for NuSTAR Cycle 5 proposal submission is
now TBD.
See the amendment recently posted at NSPIRES.
A new date will be set when the government reopens, with some additional time provided since some proposers have been unable to work. Please note that the proposal submission website (ARK/RPS) will remain open as long as possible to accept proposals.
NICER sees the contraction of the corona in a black hole X-ray transient (14 Jan 2019)
NICER made the cover of Nature with an analysis by Kara et al. of the temporal behavior of the X-ray spectrum of the black hole transient system MAXI J1820+070. Their analysis of the time-resolved NICER spectra of this system showed that the inner edge of the accretion disk is near the accreting black hole and that variations in the X-ray spectral lags indicated that the corona shrank over a time interval of a few weeks.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v5.7) (07 Jan 2019)
The latest version (v5.7, 7 January 2019) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2018)
containing a lot more than one million (1,983,749 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
Accessing CALDB data through the CALDB Mirror (21 Dec 2018)
In case the HEASARC CALDB is unavailable, users can still access CALDB data from the CALDB mirror site hosted at the CfA. The mirror CALDB is available at ftp://cda.cfa.harvard.edu/pub/arcftp/heasarc/caldb/. Remote access users should set their CALDB environment variable to
% setenv CALDB ftp://cda.cfa.harvard.edu/pub/arcftp/heasarc/caldb/
(for c-shell users) and make sure your local CALDBCONFIG
and CALDBALIAS files are up to date.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v5.6) (19 Dec 2018)
The latest version (v5.6, 17 December 2018) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2018)
containing a lot more than one million (1,984,120 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
Chandra CALDB 4.8.2 installed at the HEASARC (14 Dec 2018)
The Chandra CalDB 4.8.2 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.8.2 was released by the CXC on December 13, 2018...
NuSTAR Guest Observer (GO) Cycle 5 (13 Dec 2018)
The due date for NuSTAR Cycle 5 proposal submission is
Jan 25, 2019. Proposals should be submitted via the HEASARC's ARK
Remote Proposal System (RPS). New in Cycle 5 are
the opportunity to propose for large programs and and the opportunity
for joint observations with NICER. For more information about this cycle,
please visit the NuSTAR Proposal
page.
XMM-Newton Optical Monitor (OM) Serendipitous UV Survey Source Catalog, v4.1 (11 Dec 2018)
The updated version 4.1 of the XMM OM-SUSS Catalog listing the
optical and UV properties of 8,176,156 source detections made by the XMM-Newton
OM (v1.0 is described in Page et al. 2012, MNRAS, 426, 903) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin, as is the associated list of 9,749
XMM-Newton observations from 2000 to July 2017 in which
these sources were found.
XRSIG Decadal White Paper Repository (4 Dec 2018)
The X-ray Science Interest Group and the
PCOS office created web links off the
XRSIG page to act as a centralized data base for all X-ray
astronomy-related white papers. Anyone writing an XRSIG-related white
paper is invited to submit the title of their white paper, the
co-authors, the email address of the point of contact, and an optional
abstract or outline through the web interface.
HEAD Fall 2018 newsletter released (4 Dec 2018)
This issue is full of information on your favorite HEA missions, news from the executive, information on upcoming meetings, and lots of other items of interest. Available now at your electronic HEAD newsstand !
XMM-Newton AO-18 Results Released (28 Nov 2018)
The list of XMM-Newton observing proposals accepted by the AO-18 Observing Time Allocation Committee is now available.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v5.5) (21 Nov 2018)
The latest version (v5.5, 19 November 2018) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Flesch, 2009 - 2018)
containing a lot more than one million (1,982,872 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
Swift CALDB Data updated (17 Nov 2018)
The Swift SC clock correction has been updated (CALDB update version 20181114).
Fermi LAT CALDB update (08 Nov 2018)
The Fermi LAT CALDB has been updated (update version 1.0.0). This is the first version of the LAT caldb which is released through github and available via the Fermi Science tools using the new conda installation. See the FermiTools wiki for details.
NICER XTI CALDB Updated (07 Nov 2018)
The NICER XTI caldb has been updated to version 20181105.
Canis Major OB1 XMM Source Catalog (29 Oct 2018)
This catalog provides the XMM properties for 387 detected
sources along with ages and masses for matched NIR counterpart
candidates in the associated
table, as published in Santos-Silva
et al., 2018. Both tables are now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Fermi Analysis Tools Updated (29 Oct 2018)
The FSSC is pleased to announce the availability of a new version of the Fermi Science Tools, 1.0.0, released on October 15, 2018. This version corresponds to v11r06p03, but is now distributed via the Conda package management system. Please see the FermiTools Installation instructions for detailed information.
XSPEC 12.10.1ab Patches Released (29 Oct 2018)
Fixes an possible crash when calling the FNINIT initialization function, other fixes
Chandra CALDB 4.8.1 installed at the HEASARC (29 Oct 2018)
The Chandra CalDB 4.8.1 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.8.1 was released by the CXC on October 25, 2018...
Amazon AWS access to SkyView blocked. (25 Oct 2018)
DOS, Amazon web services, performance Continue reading ...
MAXI archive opens at the HEASARC (25 Oct 2018)
The MAXI archive, which is hosted at
DARTS/ISAS,
is now also available from the
HEASARC.
The two archives are synchronized weekly, and the archive is populated with
the results of the data processing that occurs in Japan.
Together with the archive opening, the MAXI software package has been released
with HEASoft 6.25,
and the calibration data are now also available within CALDB.
New xisrmfgen Released (24 Oct 2018)
A new version of xisrmfgen, which includes a different model
of the
Si K edge region of Suzaku XIS, has been released with
HEASoft 6.25 together with a new set of
quantum efficiency CALDB files.
OSA 11.0 Release (24 Oct 2018)
The INTEGRAL Science Data Centre (ISDC), the INTEGRAL instrument teams, and the INTEGRAL Science Operations Centre (ISOC)
have announced the release of the
Offline Software Analysis (OSA) version 11.0 . Several major improvements have been made in this new release.
It is important to note that OSA 11.0 for IBIS is currently limited to data starting from 2015-12-26 (start of revolution 1626).
For earlier data, the user should use OSA 10.2 with the limitations described in the user manual.
NICERDAS Version 5 released (24 Oct 2018)
The NICER data reduction software Version 5 was released on Oct 23 2018 with the release of
HEASoft 6.25 . NICERDAS 5.0 includes updates to most tasks and includes new task, nicertimeconv, to do basic time conversions.
Suzaku CALDB updated (23 Oct 2018)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20181010). Note that the new version of xisrmfgen distributed with HEASOFT 6.25 requires version 20181010 of the XIS caldb.
HEASoft 6.25 Released (23 Oct 2018)
Released October 23, 2018. This release is primarily driven by updates to the NICER
data analysis software, but also includes other enhancements and fixes
WISE and 2MASS move to HTTPS (22 Oct 2018)
Access to data at IRSA recently has moved to requiring HTTPS URLs. This has broken SkyView’s access to the WISE and 2MASS surveys. We have just updated the URLs in the current version of SkyView to re-enable access to these ... Continue reading ...
NuSTAR CALDB Update (22 Oct 2018)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on October 22, 2018 (CALDB version 20181022). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 86, valid through 2018-10-22.
Updated Million Quasars Catalog (v5.4) (19 Oct 2018)
The latest version (v5.4, 17 October 2018) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2018)
containing a lot more than one million (1,982,686 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
Chandra White Paper Deadline Extension (16 Oct 2018)
Call for White Papers for Chandra Cool Attitude Targets (CATs):
deadline has been extended to 6 PM EDT Monday 22 October,
2018.
Call for Proposals: NICER Guest Observer Program (16 Oct 2018)
The ROSES Amendment for Cycle 1 of the NICER
Guest Observer program has been released. Principal
Investigators (PIs) for phase 1 proposals may submit their requested
observations and corresponding scientific justification via the
ARK/RPS portal.
Deadline is 4:30 EST on December 20, 2018..
AstroSat Data is now public (28 Sep 2018)
AstroSat data was opened to public on September 26,
2018. Around 25% of the AstroSat (around 1TB) data from the four
payloads, UVIT, SXT, LAXPC and CZT is available for download from the Indian
Space Science Data Centre . This data provide an exciting opportunity in understanding the cosmos from UV to X-rays through out the world.
MAXI CALDB installed at the HEASARC (25 Sep 2018)
The 20180912 version of the MAXI CALDB is now installed and available at the HEASARC. This is the first official release of the MAXI Calibration Database. MAXI CALDB Users will need to update their $CALDBCONFIG to the latest version (caldb.config.20180925)
IGR J17591-2342 second re-brightening observed with NICER (21 Sep 2018)
NICER observations of the second re-brightening of the accreting millisecond pulsar IGR J17591-2342 show it reaching its highest flux yet seen, with strong pulsations remaining after almost 60 days post-outburst.
12th INTEGRAL Workshop and 1st AHEAD Gamma-Ray Workshop (19 Sep 2018)
The 12th INTEGRAL Conference will be organized together with the 1st AHEAD Gamma-Ray Workshop on 11-15 February 2019:
"INTEGRAL looks AHEAD to Multi-Messenger Astrophysics".
It will be hosted by the Campus Biotech, in Geneva (Switzerland).
This conference will discuss recent developments in high-energy astronomy,
with particular emphasis on its role in multi-messenger astronomy.
Further information including deadlines can be found at the above link.
Viewing tool updated (17 Sep 2018)
The Swift pole constraints have been updated in the Viewing
tool. The revised coefficients extrapolate the trend for the next year. The
Viewing tool now also can report a "preferred" visibility window for NICER
observations, which has a Sun angle constraint of 60-180 degrees. (The nominal
visibility window for NICER observations is unchanged.)
PIMMS updated to Version 4.9 (17 Sep 2018)
Version 4.9 contains updates for NICER rate simulations and updated calibrations for XMM....
XAMIN updated (17 Sep 2018)
The HEASARC XAMIN archive interface has been updated to version 5.3.1. This release includes improvements to VOTable output and other performance improvements
Chandra CALDB 4.8.0 installed at the HEASARC (14 Sep 2018)
CalDB 4.8.0 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.8.0 was released by the CXC on June 28, 2018.
Swift CALDB Data updated (14 Sep 2018)
The Swift SC clock correction has been updated (CALDB update
version 20180911).
The Million Quasars Catalog v5.3 available (13 Sep 2018)
The Million Quasars Catalog (MILLIQUAS) has been updated to
version 5.3 (12 September 2018). It contains 618,097 type-I QSOs and AGN,
including sources from SDSS-DR14Q and LAMOST DR4, and ~1,320,000
high-confidence (80%+ likelihood) quasar candidates. This table is now
available in Browse and Xamin.
HEAD prize/award nominations (11 Sep 2018)
The HEAD is accepting nominations for the Rossi Prize,
the Mid-Career Prize, the Dissertation Prize and the Schramm
Award. Deadline for the Rossi Prize is October 15, and Oct 31 for the
Mid-Career and Dissertation Prizes; deadline for Schramm Award
nominations is November 2. See https://head.aas.org/awards) for more information
Argus v4.2 released (10 Sep 2018)
Support for NICER has been added to Argus.
Announcement of Einstein/Hubble/Sagan Fellowships under the NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (NHFP) (8 Sep 2018)
The NHFP supports promising postdoctoral scientists
performing independent research that contributes to NASA Astrophysics. The
research may be theoretical, observational, and/or instrumental. If
your application is successful you will become an Einstein, Hubble or
Sagan fellow depending on the area of your research. The Announcement
of Opportunity, which includes detailed program policies and
application instructions, is available at the website: http://nhfp.stsci.edu). Applications are due Thursday, November 1, 2018 (7 PM EDT, 4 PM PDT, 23:00 UTC)
NICER Guest Observer Program approved by NASA (07 Sep 2018)
NASA has approved a Guest Observer program for NICER. We expect that the Announcement of Opportunity will be released this fall, with proposals due by the end of the calendar year. More information will be posted on the NICER home page when available.
XMM-Newton AO-18 Solicitation Released (22 Aug 2018)
XMM-Newton observing proposals are solicited in response to the Eighteenth Announcement of Opportunity.
NuSTAR and NICER Identification of X-ray Transient IGR J17591-2342 (17 Aug 2018)
Observations by NICER and NuSTAR of the X-ray transient IGR J17591-2342 discovered by INTEGRAL on August 12 show that the new transient is an accreting millisecond pulsar in outburst. The pulsar has a spin frequency of approximately 527 Hz and an orbital period of 0.37 days.
NICER and NuSTAR Identification of X-ray Transient IGR J17591-2342 (17 Aug 2018)
Observations by NICER and NuSTAR of the X-ray transient IGR J17591-2342 discovered by INTEGRAL on August 12 show that the new transient is an accreting millisecond pulsar in outburst. The pulsar has a spin frequency of approximately 527 Hz and an orbital period of 0.37 days.
X-Ray Background Tool v3.0 released (15 Aug 2018)
The X-Ray Background Tool has been enhanced with support for
counts statistics and the generation of counts-based spectra.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (15 Aug 2018)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on August 15, 2018 (CALDB version 20180814). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 84, valid through 2018-08-14.
XMM-Newton Stacked Serendipitous Source Catalogue: 3XMM-DR7s Released (25 Jul 2018)
First release of the 3XMM-DR7s stacked catalogue
A Rapidly Spinning Black Hole with a Warped Disk (17 Jul 2018)
NICER provides a detailed look at a rapidly-spinning black hole feeding off its companion star.
Swift XRT CALDB Data updated (16 Jul 2018)
The Swift XRT Caldb has been updated (CALDB update version 20180710).
Release of the XMM-Newton Users Handbook v2.16 for AO-18 (16 Jul 2018)
XMM-Newton Users Handbook v2.16 for AO-18
The Generic Caldb updated to version 20180713 (13 Jul 2018)
The generic caldb was updated to version 20180713. This was an update of the caldb.indx file to include the solar_geophys_data_v1.fits file and older leapsecond files which were missing from the previous version of the caldb.indx (20160713)
NICER XTI CALDB Updated to Version 20180711 (12 Jul 2018)
The NICER XTI caldb has been updated to version 20180711. Please make sure you're using the most recent version of the caldb.config file in order to access the NICER XTI CALDB data, and that your CALDB environment variable is set to https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/FTP/caldb to remotely access the HEASARC NICER CALDB.
Swift CALDB Data updated (09 Jul 2018)
The Swift SC clock correction has been updated (CALDB update version 20180709).
Chandra CALDB 4.7.9 installed at the HEASARC (29 Jun 2018)
CalDB 4.7.9 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.7.9 was released by the CXC on June 28, 2018...
XAMIN updated (29 Jun 2018)
The HEASARC XAMIN archive interface was updated to version 5.2 on June 27. This release includes updates to DataLink and TAP functionality which include DataLink VOSI elements and corrections to DataLink format per validation outputs
COSPAR 2018 Awards Press Release (27 Jun 2018)
This press release details the awards to be bestowed by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) at its forthcoming Scientific Assembly in Pasadena, California, USA, 14 - 22 July 2018.
Chandra Announcement: CIAO to only support Python 3.5 in the next release (27 Jun 2018)
CXC plans to only support Python 3.5 in the next release
of CIAO, which is currently planned for December 2018, as Python 2.7
is being phased out. The CIAO 4.10 version - which was released April
2018 - will be the last release to provide a version compatible with
Python 2.7. For additional help, check out The Python 3 for
Scientists website or contact the CXC Helpdesk.
INTEGRAL AO-16 General Program Approved (27 Jun 2018)
The INTEGRAL AO-16 General Program, as recommended by
the Time Allocation Committee (TAC) and approved by ESA's Director of
Science (Prof. Gunther Hasinger), has been
released and the observers have been informed.
XMM-Newton SAS v17.0.0 Released (22 Jun 2018)
The latest release of the XMM-Newton Science Analysis Software.
HEAD Spring 2018 newsletter released (19 Jun 2018)
Check out the latest HEAD newsletter, including status
updates and interesting results.
NGC 4382 Chandra LXMB Catalog (18 Jun 2018)
This catalog listing the properties of 58 low-mass X-ray
binaries that were detected in a Chandra ACIS-S3 observation of the
X-ray-faint lenticular galaxy NGC 4382 (from Sivakoff
et al. 2003, ApJ, 599, 218S) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NGC 4365 Chandra LXMB Catalog (18 Jun 2018)
This catalog listing the properties of 99 low-mass X-ray
binaries that were detected in a Chandra ACIS-S3 observation of the
X-ray-faint elliptical galaxy NGC 4365 (from Sivakoff
et al. 2003, ApJ, 599, 218S) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
xTime tool updated (14 Jun 2018)
Added support for MAXI and Hitomi and restored support for
Suzaku.
XSPEC 12.10.0d Patch Released (14 Jun 2018)
Fixes an issue with the zxipcf multiplicative model.
Ginga ASM Source Lightcurves (12 Jun 2018)
This catalog, which lists the sources observed by the Ginga
All-Sky Monitor from 1987 to 1991 and provides access to FITS lightcurves
generated by ISAS/JAXA and quicklook GIF plots generated by the HEASARC, is
now available in Browse and Xamin.
Registration for the "X-Ray Skies with High-Res Eyes: Imaging the Cosmos
with AXIS" Workshop is Now Open (12 Jun 2018)
The "X-Ray Skies with High-Res Eyes" workshop will be held August
6 and 7 at the Carnegie Institution for Science in downtown Washington, DC. The
purpose of this meeting is to explore the cutting edge astrophysics enabled by
a high angular resolution X-ray observatory in the next decade, present the
AXIS science case to the community, and solicit feedback.
NASA XMM-Newton Budget AO Released for AO-17 (11 Jun 2018)
NASA's Fermi Satellite Celebrates 10 Years of Discoveries (11 Jun 2018)
On June 11, 2018, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope celebrates a decade
of using gamma rays, the highest-energy form of light in the cosmos, to study
black holes, neutron stars, and other extreme cosmic objects and events.
NICER XTI CALDB Updated to Version 20180605 (07 Jun 2018)
The NICER XTI caldb has been updated to version 20180605. Please make sure you're using the most recent version of the caldb.config file in order to access the NICER XTI CALDB data, and that your CALDB environment variable is set to https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/FTP/caldb to remotely access the HEASARC NICER CALDB.
NGC 1600 Chandra X-Ray Discrete Source Catalog (30 May 2018)
This catalog listing the properties of 71 discrete X-ray sources
that were detected in a
Chandra ACIS-S observation of the X-ray-bright elliptical galaxy NGC 1600 and
nearby members of the NGC 1600 Group (from Sivakoff
et al. 2004, ApJ, 617, 262) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NGC 1332 Chandra X-Ray Compact Source Catalog (29 May 2018)
This catalog listing the properties of 72 X-ray point sources
and 1 somewhat extended X-ray source that were detected in a
Chandra ACIS-S observation of the nearby S0 galaxy NGC 1332 (from Humphrey
& Buote 2004, ApJ, 612, 848) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NGC 5866 Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (23 May 2018)
This catalog listing the properties of 71 X-ray point sources
detected in a
Chandra ACIS-S observation of the nearby edge-on S0 galaxy NGC 5866 (from Li
et al. 2009, ApJ, 706, 696) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NICER XTI CALDB Updated to Version 20180517 (23 May 2018)
The NICER XTI caldb has been updated to version 20180517. Please make sure you're using the most recent version of the caldb.config file in order to access the NICER XTI CALDB data.
CFITSIO Version 3.45 released (22 May 2018)
Version 3.45 of CFITSIO was released May, 2018. Provides new support for reading and writing unsigned long long datatypes; increased the hardcoded NMAXFILES setting for maximum number of open files from 1000 to 10000, other improvements
Swift CALDB Data Updated (20 May 2018)
The Swift SC clock correction has been updated (CALDB update version 20180411).
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue: 3XMM-DR8 Released (18 May 2018)
Latest release of the XMM SSC: 3XMM-DR8
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalog (Version 3XMM-DR8) (17 May 2018)
The most reccent, updated version of this catalog (from Rosen,
Webb, Watson et al. 2016, A&A, 590, A1) containing 775,153
X-ray source detections (an increase of 47,363 compared to DR7) drawn from a
total of 10,242 XMM-Newton EPIC observations made between 2000 Feb 3 and 2017
November 30 is now available in Browse and Xamin.
Timeline tool updated (15 May 2018)
Support for NICER has been added to the Timeline
tool.
First Announcement: X-Ray Skies with High-Res Eyes: Imaging the Cosmos
with AXIS (15 May 2018)
The "X-Ray Skies with High-Res Eyes" workshop will be held August
6 and 7 at the Carnegie Institution for Science in downtown Washington, DC. The
purpose of this meeting is to explore the cutting edge astrophysics enabled by
a high angular resolution X-ray observatory in the next decade, present the
AXIS science case to the community, and solicit feedback.
Winners of Gruber Foundation 2018 Cosmology Prize Announced (12 May 2018)
The Gruber Foundation is pleased to present the 2018 Cosmology
Prize to the Planck Team, and to Jean-Loup Puget and Nazzareno Mandolesi, the
leaders of the HFI and LFI instrument consortia, for mapping the temperature
and polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation with the ESA
Planck spacecraft.
NASA's NICER Mission Finds an X-ray Pulsar in a Record-fast Orbit (11 May 2018)
Scientists analyzing the first data from the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission have found two stars that revolve around each other every 38 minutes. The discovery bestows the stellar pair with the record for the shortest-known orbital period for a certain class of pulsar binary system.
Fv 5.5 released (09 May 2018)
Updated May 2018; bug fixes, other enhancements.
RXTE has Re-entered! (01 May 2018)
NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), launched on
December 30, 1995, operated for more than 16 years observing the fast-moving,
high-energy worlds of black holes, neutron stars and X-ray pulsars before it
was decommissioned on January 5, 2012. Yesterday (April 30) at 10:45 am EDT,
RXTE re-entered the earth's atmosphere (probably in the ocean north of
Venezuela) and was destroyed, bringing to an end a remarkably productive career.
Catalog of All-Sky Automatic Survey (ASAS) Photometry of ROSAT All-Sky Survey Sources (01 May 2018)
This catalog listing the optical and X-ray properties of
2,302 periodic variables detected in the ASAS-South Survey that are
positionally coincident with ROSAT All-Sky Survey sources (from Kiraga
et al. 2012, AcA, 62, 67) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NICER in the News: NASA Will Solve a Massive Physics Mystery This Summer (01 May 2018)
A LIVESCIENCE article about how NICER will determine the state of matter inside neutron stars.
HEASoft 6.24 Released (24 Apr 2018)
Released April 24, 2018. This release includes important bug fixes in the CFITSIO library, improvements to the NICER analysis software, improved
support for Ubuntu and Debian Linux, and other enhancements
and fixes
XAMIN updated (24 Apr 2018)
The HEASARC XAMIN archive interface was updated to version 5.1 (1450/3907) on April 23. This version re-instates the "save to hera" functionality for on-line analysis of archived data using the Web Hera interface.
DS9 Updated to Version 7.6 (24 Apr 2018)
DS9 Version 7.6 was released on April 17. This version includes a new Windows 32/64 bit port, a new MacOS High Sierra port, support for HTTPS, and other improvements
NICER in the News: Mushroom Clouds on Neutron Stars (23 Apr 2018)
NICER was featured in an on-line publication by LiveScience on the ability to study photospheric radius expansion bursts, or "mushroom clouds" occurring on neutron stars.
CFITSIO Version 3.44 released (19 Apr 2018)
Version 3.44 released April, 2018 to enhance security. CFITSIO users are strongly encouraged to upgrade to version 3.44...
NuSTAR Cycle 4 Results (19 Apr 2018)
The list of NuSTAR targets accepted by the Cycle 4 peer
review is now available. Cycle 4 observations will start to be
routinely performed on June 1, 2018. Written evaluations will be sent
to all NuSTAR Cycle 4 PIs in the next few weeks.
TESS, NASA's Planet Hunter Is on Its Way to Orbit (19 Apr 2018)
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) launched on
the first-of-its-kind mission to find worlds beyond our solar system, including
some that could support life. TESS, which is expected to find thousands of new
exoplanets orbiting nearby stars, lifted off at 6:51 p.m. EDT Wednesday on a
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station in Florida. In its 2-year survey mission, TESS will survey the
nearest and brightest stars in most (85%) of the sky in its search for
exoplanets.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (19 Apr 2018)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on April 19, 2018 (CALDB version 20180419). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 80, valid through 2018-04-19.
NICER XTI CALDB Updated to Version 20180417 (18 Apr 2018)
The NICER XTI caldb has been updated to version 20180417. Please make sure you're using the most recent version of the caldb.config file in order to access the NICER XTI CALDB data.
NICER Session at the American Physical Society Meeting (17 Apr 2018)
A special session featuring NICER first results was held at the April 2018 meeting of the American Physical Society. Two results, "Scientists Spot the Shadow of a Strange Wind Blowing Past a Black Hole" and "NASA's Got a Plan for a 'Galactic Positioning System' to Save Astronauts Lost in Space", were featured stories on LIVESCIENCE.
Registration for the Neil Gehrels Memorial Symposium is Now Open (17 Apr 2018)
We are organizing a Memorial Meeting to celebrate the life and
work of our friend and colleague Neil Gehrels, whom we lost on 2017, February
6th. The meeting will take place in Washington DC on 2018, May 21st to 22nd.
We kindly request that you register no later than April 22 to facilitate
planning.
xTime tool updated (09 Apr 2018)
Support for NICER has been added to xTime. Also, the RXTE
mission day number time formats, which were really only used in mission
planning, have been removed.
Fermi Observatory Status (03 Apr 2018)
Both instruments on Fermi have been returned to operational status and are actively collecting science data. For the LAT, this data will be used to monitor performance as the instrument returns to normal operating temperatures. GBM has returned to full functionality.
LOFAR Radio Catalog of Herschel-ATLAS North Galactic Pole Field (03 Apr 2018)
This catalog listing the low-frequency (126-173 MHz) properties
of 15,532 sources detected at or above 5 sigma by the Low-Frequency Array in
the Herschel-ATLAS North Galactic Pole (NGP) survey area (from Hardcastle
et al. 2016, MNRAS, 462, 1910) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NuSTAR Hard X-Ray Survey of the Galactic Center: Point Source Catalog (29 Mar 2018)
This catalog listing the soft and hard X-ray properties of 77
point sources detected by NuSTAR in the Galactic Center and Sgr B2 fields
(from Hong
et al. 2016, ApJ, 825, 132) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XSPEC 12.10.0c Patch Released (28 Mar 2018)
Fixes an issue when a mix model is used with multiple data groups and there is more than 1 spectrum per group.
Update on Fermi Operations (27 Mar 2018)
Fermi was commanded out of sun-point mode earlier today (March
27). It is now oriented at a 50-degree rock(ing) angle (towards the northern
hemisphere) with respect to the zenith. Operations at a fixed rock(ing) angle
will continue while spacecraft performance is monitored. The Fermi team plans
to start bringing the instruments back online over the next week or so - GBM
first and then the LAT. They will post updates on the status of the observatory
as the recovery proceeds.
XSPEC 12.10.0b Patch Released (22 Mar 2018)
Patches an issue with the mdefine command. Released March 19, 2018.
Chandra CALDB 4.7.8 installed at the HEASARC (22 Mar 2018)
CalDB 4.7.8 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.7.8 was released by the CXC on March 19, 2018...
Fermi Spacecraft Operational Anomaly (20 Mar 2018)
At 5:11 UT on March 16, Fermi encountered an issue with the solar
array drive that caused the observatory to go into safe hold. In this mode, the
instruments are powered off, and thus science data taking has stopped. Initial
investigation suggests that one of the solar panels is stuck. Investigation
into the cause of the anomaly is ongoing and will continue for some time.
We are exploring options to resume some science operations with a fixed solar
panel which would run while the anomaly investigations are ongoing. The team
is planning to start a return to science ops next week, to run in parallel
with the ongoing engineering investigation.
NICER ATEL: NICER observations of MAXI J1820+070 suggest a rapidly-brightening black hole X-ray binary in the hard state (15 Mar 2018)
NICER observed the new X-ray transient MAXI J1820+070. The light curve shows large amplitude flaring on a time-scale of minutes. The X-ray spectrum shows a hard power-law spectrum and a low temperature disk blackbody component, while timing analysis shows a large amplitude broadband power spectrum. These characteristics strongly suggest that the source is a black hole X-ray binary that is rapidly increasing in flux through the canonical hard state.
Stephen Hawking Has Died (14 Mar 2018)
Stephen Hawking, one of the leading cosmologists and popularizers
of astronomy in the last century, died earlier today. Hawking's achievements
were made all the more remarkable by the fact that he developed ALS
(amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in his early twenties. His research on black
holes and on the interaction between quantum mechanics and general relativity
was a seminal contribution to the field.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (13 Mar 2018)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on March 13, 2018 (CALDB version 20180312). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 79, valid through 2018-03-12.
Chandra Cycle 20 Proposal Deadline Has Been Postponed by One Day (13 Mar 2018)
The US National Weather Service has issued a major winter storm
warning for the Northeast of the USA for Tuesday, March 13. This storm will
make commuting hazardous and may cause widespread power outages in the Boston
area. Given the high risk of significant power outages which could affect
proposal submission, Helpdesk responses, and the ability of CXC staff to
support proposers, as well as the ability of Chandra proposers in the
Northeast to prepare and submit their proposals, the deadline has been
postponed by 24 hours. Helpdesk response may be delayed if CXC staff experience
power outages. The new deadline is FRIDAY MARCH 16, 2018 at 6pm EDT (note that
daylight savings time has started in the United States).
2018 Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop: Registration & Abstract Deadlines are Near (12 Mar 2018)
The purpose of the NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop
to be held in Athens, GA on April 11-15 2018 is focused on identifying and
prioritizing critical laboratory
astrophysics data needs, defined broadly, to meet the demands of NASA's current
and near-term astrophysics missions. The meeting will also provide a forum
within which the community can present and review the current state of
knowledge in laboratory astrophysics and identify challenges and opportunities
for the field in the near future. The registration deadline is
March 16, and the abstract deadline is March
22.
Swift CALDB Data updated (08 Mar 2018)
The Swift SC clock correction has been updated (CALDB update version 20180305).
NICER Archive Opens (08 Mar 2018)
NICER was launched to the International Space Station on June 3, 2017, and began regular observations of celestial sources on July
17, upon completion of its commissioning activities. While
observations to fulfill the mission's baseline science are ongoing,
most data acquired to date -- during an initial validation period
lasting nearly 8 months -- are now available in the public archive
at the HEASARC. The archive includes over 3000 observations that
have been processed with the latest instrument calibration products
and software, also now released, and are accessible through the
HEASARC's archive interfaces. Excluded are datasets for a few
targets, to be released at a later date after evaluation of
long-term calibration stability. Following this initial release, new
observations will be delivered to the archive regularly after a
two-week processing and validation period.
HEASoft 6.23 Released (07 Mar 2018)
Released March 7, 2018. This release updates the NICER data analysis software and provides bug fixes in the FV (FitsViewer) GUI, among other changes. This release also fixes a security vulnerability identified in cfitsio; if you have code running cfitsio on a server we strongly recommend updating as soon as possible.
Joint NuSTAR/INTEGRAL Observing Time Available in INTEGRAL's AO-16 (06 Mar 2018)
The NuSTAR project is making available up to 100 ks of
NuSTAR observing time to joint science proposals for INTEGRAL's AO-16.
The due date for INTEGRAL AO-16 proposals is Friday, April 13, 2018,
at 14:00 CEST.
Joint NuSTAR/Chandra Observing Time Available in Chandra's Cycle 20 (06 Mar 2018)
The NuSTAR project is making available up to 1 Ms of NuSTAR observing
time to joint science proposals for Chandra LP or VLP Cycle 20
programs. The due date for Chandra Cycle 20 proposals is Thursday,
March 15, 2018 at 6 p.m. EDT.
16th INTEGRAL Announcement of Opportunity (06 Mar 2018)
ESA invites you to submit proposals to the International Gamma-ray
Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) 16th "Announcement of
Opportunity" (AO-16) call for proposals, for observations to be
performed during 2019. As previously, ESA also provides the
opportunity to propose for coordinated observations with XMM-Newton,
NuSTAR, and/or Swift with a total of 300 ks, 100 ks, and 150 ks,
respectively, of their available time. Documentation, proposal
submission and support software for this Announcement are being made
available via the ESA
INTEGRAL website. The deadline for proposal submission is
Friday, April 13, 2018, 14:00 CEST.
NICER XTI CALDB Updated (05 Mar 2018)
The NICER XTI caldb has been updated to version 20180226. Please make sure you're using the most recent version of the caldb.config file in order to access the NICER XTI CALDB data.
LISA Pathfinder Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) Data Are Now
Available at the HEASARC (26 Feb 2018)
The DRS was a NASA-funded package included in the LISA Pathfinder
mission to explore technologies for achieving the LISA mission's requirements.
An overview is available at Our LISA Pathfinder
page, and more details can be found at the LISA Pathfinder mission
site. (The full mission data holdings are at the
ESA mission
archive). The data at the HEASARC are available through
FTP, Xamin and Browse (as the LPFFILES table) and via a
custom interface
which selects data by interval and instrument mode.
Fermi Science Analysis Environment Updated (20 Feb 2018)
The FSSC is pleased to announce the availability of a new version of the Fermi Science Tools, v11r5p3, released on February 15, 2018. This version improves support for pass 7 and pass 8 processed data, and removes support for pass 6 data, and other changes. Details and software download can be found here.
XAMIN updated (20 Feb 2018)
The HEASARC XAMIN archive interface has been updated to version 5.0b (1440/3845). This version provides a fix to compound data products.
VLA Gould's Belt Survey Perseus Region Source Catalog (15 Feb 2018)
This catalog listing the radio properties for 204 sources
detected by the JVLA at 4.5 and/or 7.5 GHz
in deep (rms noise of ~16-29 microJy) radio continuum observations of the
Perseus star-forming complex, particularly the NGC 1333 and IC 348 clouds (from Pech
et al. 2015, ApJ, 818, 116) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2018 Omnibus Solicitation (14 Feb 2018)
NASA's Science Mission Directorate announced the release of its
annual ROSES omnibus solicitation for 2018 (NNH18ZDA001N) on February 14, 2018.
Table 2 listing the individual program deadlines in order of their due dates
can be found here.
Hitomi CALDB Update (14 Feb 2018)
The Hitomi CALDB has been updated for the SXS (update version 20180212), the SXI (update version 20180212) and the General Mission (GEN) data (update version 20180212).
AllWISE Counterparts and Gaia Matches to XMM Slew Catalog v.2 X-Ray Sources (08 Feb 2018)
This catalog (from Salvato
et al. 2018, MNRAS, 473, 4937) containing the 19,141
AllWISE counterparts and/or Gaia
matches to 17,665 X-ray sources that were detected in the XMM-Newton Slew
Survey (version 2)
above Galactic latitude |b| > 15 degrees is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
AllWISE Counterparts and Gaia Matches to ROSAT/2RXS X-Ray Sources (05 Feb 2018)
This catalog (from Salvato
et al. 2018, MNRAS, 473, 4937) containing the 132,254 AllWISE counterparts and/or Gaia
matches to 106,573 X-ray sources that were detected in the ROSAT 2RXS survey
above Galactic latitude |b| > 15 degrees is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Lists of Swift Cycle 14 Recommended Targets and Proposals Are Now Available (01 Feb 2018)
The lists of Swift Cycle 14 Guest Investigator Program
recommended targets and proposals have been posted on the Swift website.
Abstract Deadline for the "High Energy Astrophysics in the 2020's &
Beyond" Meeting Extended to February 7 (31 Jan 2018)
The abstract deadline for the "High Energy Astrophysics in the
2020's & Beyond" meeting to be held in Rosemont (near Chicago),
Illinois from the 18th to the 21st March has been extended to February 7 at 9
pm ET. In addition, the deadline for early registration has also been
extended to February 7.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (26 Jan 2018)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on January 26, 2018 (CALDB version 20180126). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 78, valid through 2018-01-26.
CALDB Mirror (22 Jan 2018)
The CALDB is mirrored at ftp://cda.cfa.harvard.edu/pub/arcftp/heasarc/caldb. You can access the CALDB remotely by setting your CALDB environment variable to ftp://cda.cfa.harvard.edu/pub/arcftp/heasarc/caldb
Newly Renamed Swift Mission Spies a Comet Slowdown (13 Jan 2018)
The Gehrels Swift Observatory has captured an unprecedented
change in the rotation of a comet. Images taken in May 2017 reveal
that comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak was spinning
three times more slowly than it was in March, when it was observed by the
Discovery Channel Telescope at Lowell Observatory, according to
Bodewits
et al. (2018, Nature, 553, 186.
Swift Renamed to the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (13 Jan 2018)
In honor of Neil Gehrels (October 3, 1952 - February 6, 2017), who helped
develop the mission and served as its principal investigator until his death
last year,
the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer has officially been renamed the Neil
Gehrels Swift Observatory.
Swift CALDB Data updated (13 Jan 2018)
The Swift SC clock correction has been updated (CALDB update version 20180103).
NICER/SEXTANT proves pulsars can function as a celestial GPS (12 Jan 2018)
"NASA test proves pulsars can function as a celestial GPS", published in Nature, discusses how NICER/SEXTANT for the first time demonstrated in-space navigation using X-ray pulsars as a form of a Galactic Positioning System. This method will help spacecraft autonomously steer themselves through deep space. These results were featured in a press conference at the 231st Meeting of the AAS, in Washington DC.
Preliminary Fermi LAT 8-year Point Source List Available (05 Jan 2018)
A preliminary Fermi LAT 8-year Point Source List (FL8Y), based on the first eight years of science data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope mission and the 100 MeV-1 TeV range has been released by the Fermi project. The FL8Y source list has twice as much exposure as the 3FGL, and includes a number of analysis improvements, but does not use an updated model for Galactic diffuse gamma-ray emission. The FL8Y source list includes 5524 sources above 4-sigma significance, and includes source location regions and spectral properties.
General Catalog of Variable Stars, Version 5.1, March 2017 (03 Jan 2018)
The latest version of this catalog of 52,011 confirmed variable
stars (from Samus
et al. 2017, ARep, 61, 80) is now available in Browse and
in Xamin.
XSPEC 12.9.1u Patch Released (02 Jan 2018)
Adds proper handling of gain fit parameters when stored and read back in with Xset.save and Xset.restore in PyXspec. Released Dec 27, 2017.
FERMI3FHL - Third Catalog of Hard Fermi-LAT Sources (3FHL) (21 Dec 2017)
This catalog (from Ajello
et al. 2017, ApJS, 232, 18)
contains 1,558 objects that have been characterized in the 10 GeV
to 2 TeV energy range by Fermi's Large Area Telescope (LAT) in the first 7
years of observations using the Pass 8 event-level analysis. The
sensitivity and angular resolution are improved by factors of 3 and 2 relative
to the previous LAT catalog at the same energies (1FHL). 3FHL is now available
in both Browse and
Xamin.
COSMOS Field VLBA Observations 1.4-GHz Source Catalog (20 Dec 2017)
This catalog contains 468 radio sources and 36 radio source
components that were detected at 1.4 GHz with the Very Long Baseline Array in
the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field, and includes the radio fluxes of
these sources, which are likely to be AGN, and their multiwavelength
counterparts. This catalog (from
Herrera Ruiz
et al. 2017, A&A, 607, A132) is now available in
Browse and
Xamin.
Tabbed layout for Xamin results added to Xamin version 5.0 (20 Dec 2017)
Xamin version 5.0 introduces the tabbed layout for grid formatted query results. This new output format replaces the current multi-window grid output. All new queries will be added to one main panel and each can be displayed by clicking its ... Continue reading ...
Deadline for Proposls for Pathfinder Science for a Potential
Chandra Successor Mission (CSM) is Next Month (19 Dec 2017)
The deadline to submit in response to this call for proposals
(CfP)
is January 24, 6:00pm EST. The purpose of this special CfP
is to propose for new Chandra observations that can demonstrate the feasibility
for key CSM goals or otherwise enhance CSM science prospects. Proposals from
all areas of astrophysics will be considered. Up to 1 Msec of Director's
Discretionary Time (DDT) may be devoted to CSM programs.
XSPEC 12.9.1t Patch Released (19 Dec 2017)
Fixed an issue in which changing solar abundance table from the default (angr) does not work correctly for the raymond, meka, or mekal models. Released Dec 13.
INTEGRAL Mission Extended Through 2019 (18 Dec 2017)
The ESA Science Programme Committee (SPC) has approved extending the INTEGRAL mission by one year through 31 December 2019.
A proposal to extend INTEGRAL through 2020 will be presented at the next meeting of the SPC in February 2018.
Chandra CALDB 4.7.7 installed at the HEASARC (16 Dec 2017)
CalDB 4.7.7 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.7.7 was released by the CXC on December 14, 2017...
Query visualization introduced with Xamin version 5.0 (15 Dec 2017)
An interactive visualization component using the AladinLite data visualizer developed at the Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) has been added to Xamin grid queries. This new feature allows users to select regions visually and to display the location ... Continue reading ...
Viewing tool updated (14 Dec 2017)
The Sun angle constraint for NuSTAR observations has been
updated in the Viewing tool to be greater than 43 degrees. This reflects the
change by the NuSTAR Science Operations Center to ensure stable pointing.
This new, slightly more restrictive range applies to all future ToO requests
and Cycle 4 proposals.
Hitomi CALDB Data Updated (14 Dec 2017)
The Hitomi CALDB has been updated for the SGD (update version 20171207).
Hitomi Master Observations Table (07 Dec 2017)
The table of all Hitomi observations that were completed during
its period of operations is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
The Amazing Year 2017 in High-Energy Astrophysics (07 Dec 2017)
2017 was a banner year for our field. We list here some of the
important events in high-energy astronomy (X-ray astronomy, gamma-ray
astronomy, gravitational wave and cosmic-ray astronomy) which occurred and/or
were announced in this last year. Let's see if 2018 can be even better!
Winners of the 2018 Breakthrough Prize in Fundmental Physics Have Been Announced (05 Dec 2017)
Congratulations to Charles L. Bennett, Gary Hinshaw, Norman
Jarosik, Lyman Page Jr., David N. Spergel, and the members of the WMAP Science
Team for winning this prestigious award, the "Oscar of Science". The HEASARC is
particularly happy since several current members of its LAMBDA component
(Mike Greason, Nils Odegard and Janet Weiland) and its one-time director, Gary
Hinshaw, were so honored.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (04 Dec 2017)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on December 4, 2017 (CALDB version 20171204). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 76, valid through 2017-12-04.
XSPEC 12.9.1s Patch Released (04 Dec 2017)
Adds a new class member called Fit.nullhy to PyXspec. This provides access to the null hypothesis probability reported after chi-square fits.
NICER overview published in Nature Astronomy (01 Dec 2017)
"Searching for a pulse", an overview of NICER by K. Gendreau and Z. Arzoumanian, has been published by Nature Astronomy (Nature Astronomy 1, 895, 2017).
XMMAO (XMM-Newton Accepted Targets) Table (29 Nov 2017)
The latest version of the table of accepted XMM-Newton targets,
updated to include AO-17 results, is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XMM-Newton AO-17 Results Released (29 Nov 2017)
The list of XMM-Newton observing proposals accepted by the AO-17 Observing Time Allocation Committee is now available.
Hitomi Mission Glimpses Cosmic 'Recipe' for the Nearby Universe (22 Nov 2017)
Before its brief mission ended unexpectedly in March 2016, the
Hitomi X-ray observatory captured exceptional information about the motions of
the hot gas in the Perseus galaxy cluster. Now, thanks to unprecedented detail
provided by the Soft X-ray Spectrometer on Hitomi, the Hitomi
Collaboration (2017, Nature, in press) has been able to
analyze the detailed chemical make-up of this gas, providing new insights into
the stellar explosions that formed most of these elements and cast them out
into space.
NuSTAR Guest Observer (GO) Cycle 4 Solicitation (20 Nov 2017)
Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science for
2017 (ROSES-17) Amendment 38 (released on Oct 6, 2017) contains the
revised text for Appendix D.10 soliciting proposals to the NuSTAR GO
Cycle 4 opportunity. The due date for proposal submission is Jan 19,
2018. Proposals should be submitted via the HEASARC's ARK Remote
Proposal System (RPS). For more information about
this AO, please visit the NuSTAR Proposal
page.
IRAM NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) Observation Log (20 Nov 2017)
The second version of the IRAM NOEMA - the successor to the
Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) - observing log (Dan et al. 1991-2017,
IRAM Newsletters) containing 1,231 observations from May 31, 2015 through
September 29, 2016 is now available in Browse and
Xamin,
as well as an updated version of the IRAM PDBI observing log.
Sixth Announced Gravitational Wave Detection, GW 170608 (16 Nov 2017)
The LIGO Scientific and Virgo collaborations report the detection
of yet another gravitational wave signal, dubbed GW 170608,
emitted during the final moments of the
merger of two black holes with masses of about 7 and 12 times the mass of
the sun located at a redshift of ~0.07 (340 Mpc). This is one of the first
cases where black holes detected through gravitational waves have masses
similar to those detected indirectly via e-m radiation, such as X-rays The
discovery
paper was just submitted to ApJL.
Swift CALDB Data updated (15 Nov 2017)
The Swift XRT Caldb has been updated (CALDB update version 20171113).
Cassiopeia dwarf galaxy (IC 10) Chandra X-ray Point Source Catalog (07 Nov 2017)
This catalog of 111 X-ray point sources detected in
10 Chandra ACIS-S observations of this dwarf-irregular galaxy that were
designed to capture its variable and transient X-ray source population (from
Laycock
et al. 2017, ApJ, 836, 50) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Update to the INTEGRAL IBIS AGN Catalog (07 Nov 2017)
This catalog (from
Malizia
et al. 2016, MNRAS, 460, 19)
of the classification and X-ray properties of 116
active galactic nuclei which have been newly detected and/or identified by the
INTEGRAL IBIS instrument since the original INTEGRAL IBIS AGN Catalog
of Malizia et al. (2012, MNRAS, 426, 1750) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Swift CALDB Data updated (02 Nov 2017)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20171101).
Hitomi Archive Opens (01 Nov 2017)
The Hitomi data archive has opened.
NuSTAR Probes Black Hole Jet Mystery (31 Oct 2017)
Using NASA's NuSTAR space telescope and a fast camera called
ULTRACAM on the William Herschel Observatory in La Palma, Spain, Gandhi et al.
have been able to measure the distance that particles in the jets from the
black hole binaries V404 Cyg and GX 339-4 travel before they "turn on" and
become bright in visible light. This distance called the "acceleration zone"
is determined to be 0.1 light seconds (30,000 km) in these systems. See the
published
study in Nature Astronomy.
News Story: Jupiter's X-ray northern and southern auroras pulse independently of each other (31 Oct 2017)
Based on XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray campaigns, performed in
May-June 2016 and March 2007, Dunn
et al. (2017, Nature Astronomy, in press)
show that Jupiter's northern and southern auroral hot spots each exhibit
different characteristics, such as different periodic pulsations
and uncorrelated changes in brightness, in contradiction to the
predictions of current models of X-ray generation for Jupiter.
Swift CALDB Data updated (26 Oct 2017)
The Swift BAT CALDB has been updated (CALDB update version 20171016).
Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC) Self-Nominations are Invited (25 Oct 2017)
The NASA Astrophysics Division
announces an invitation for public nominations for service on its Federal
advisory committee, the Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC), that advises
the Astrophysics Division Director. US citizens may submit self-nominations for
consideration to fill vacancies on the APAC. There will be member vacancies
from time to time throughout the year, and NASA will consider
self-nominationsto fill such intermittent vacancies. The deadline for NASA
receipt of all public nominations is December 1, 2017.
Outburst Catalog of Dwarf Novae-type and Other Cataclysmic Variables (24 Oct 2017)
This catalog of the outbursts and other properties of over 722
dwarf novae and 316 other types of cataclysmic variables that were observed in
the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey (CRTS) (from Coppejans
et al. 2016, MNRAS, 456, 4441) is now available in Browse
and
Xamin.
NuSTAR Users Commitee: Call for Self Nominations (18 Oct 2017)
NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) high-energy
mission announces the creation of the NuSTAR Users Committee (NUC).
The NUC will provide community advice and feedback to the project, to
ensure that the interests of the guest investigator community are
well-served by the project. Membership on this committee is open to the world,
and we intend a committee that is diverse in terms of career stage, gender, and
scientific focus. Letters of self-nomination to
serve on this committee are due by November 3rd, 2017.
NASA Missions Catch First Light from a Gravitational-Wave Event (16 Oct 2017)
Shortly after 8:41am EDT on Aug. 17, 2 seconds after LIGO and
VIRGO detected a gravitational wave event, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space
Telescope picked up a pulse of high-energy light from a powerful explosion,
which was immediately reported to astronomers around the globe as a short
gamma-ray burst. The Swift, Hubble, Chandra and Spitzer missions, along
with dozens of ground-based observatories, including the NASA-funded
Pan-STARRS survey, observed over the next few days and weeks the fading glow
of the expanding debris from this blast, now believed to be a "kilonova".
First Detection of Gravitational waves from a Binary Neutron Star Inspiral on August 17, 2017 at 8:41am EDT (16 Oct 2017)
The LIGO Scientific and Virgo collaborations report the first
joint detection of a gravitational wave signal from a binary neutron star
system, dubbed GW 170817.
The gravitational waves were emitted during the final moments of the
merger of two neutron stars with masses of about 1.6 and 1.1 times the mass of
the sun and located about 130 million light-years away. 1.7 seconds later the
Fermi GBM detected a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A), and follow-up
multi-wavelength observations pinpointed the counterpart object to be a
kilonova (an r-process supernova) in the elliptical galaxy NGC 4993. The
discovery paper
has just appeared in the Phys Rev Letters, v. 119, 161101 (2017).
HEASoft 6.22.1 Released (12 Oct 2017)
Released October 11, 2017. This release updates the NICER data analysis software and provides bug fixes in the FV (FitsViewer) GUI, along with other improvements...
XSPEC 12.9.1o,p Patches Released (12 Oct 2017)
Released on October 10, 2017. Release 12.9.1o fixes a multiple-prompting error in certain cases of missing data files, while 12.9.1p fixes some issues in steppar error messaging.
Scientists Discover One of the Most Luminous Novae Ever (12 Oct 2017)
Aydi
et al. (2017, MNRAS, in press) have discovered possibly
the most luminous 'new star' ever - a nova in the direction of one
of our closest neighboring galaxies, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC).
Using telescopes from South Africa to Australia to South America, as well as
the orbiting Swift observatory, the team reports that the nova SMCN 2016-10a,
which was discovered on 14th October 2016, is the most luminous nova ever
discovered in the SMC, and one of the brightest ever seen in any galaxy.
Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 10 New White Dwarf Catalog (10 Oct 2017)
This catalog of over 9,000 new spectroscopically confirmed white
dwarfs and subdwarfs in the SDSS DR10 (from Kepler
et al. 2015, MNRAS, 446, 4078) is now available in Browse
and
Xamin.
Hitomi CALDB Data Updated (09 Oct 2017)
The Hitomi CALDB has been updated for the SGD (update version 20170926).
Swift CALDB updated (09 Oct 2017)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the UVOTA (update version 20170922)...
NICER ATEL: Observation of Fast X-ray Flares in GX 339-4 (06 Oct 2017)
NICER observed the black hole binary GX339-4 which is currently in outburst. The average hard color (4-12 / 2-4 keV) is near 0.5 or higher, which is harder than the value for Crab (0.25). These results are consistent with the report that GX339-4 is in a faint black hole hard state (Gandhi et al., Atel 10820).
Black Holes with Ravenous Appetites Define Type I Active Galaxies (04 Oct 2017)
For decades, astronomers have tried to pin down why two of the
most common types of active galaxies, known as Type I and Type II galaxies,
appear different. The leading theory, known as the unified model, explains that
the central black holes of Type I and Type II galaxies have the same
fundamental structure, but appear different solely because the galaxies point
toward Earth at different angles. Ricci
et al. (2017, Nature, 549, 488) tested this model by
studying over 800 active galaxies detected by the Burst Alert Telescope
on-board Swift and found that Type I and Type II galaxies do not just appear
different--they are, in fact, very different from each other.
'Extreme' Telescopes Find the Second-fastest-spinning Pulsar (04 Oct 2017)
By following up on mysterious high-energy sources mapped out by
NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, the Netherlands-based Low Frequency
Array (LOFAR) radio telescope has identified a pulsar spinning at more than
42,000 revolutions per minute, making it the second-fastest known. The new
object, named PSR J0952-0607 is thus classified as a millisecond pulsar.
It contains about 1.4 times the sun's mass and is orbited every 6.4 hours by a
companion star that has been whittled away to less than 20 times the mass of
the planet Jupiter, according to Bassa
et al. (2017, ApJL, 846, L20).
NuSTAR CALDB Update (03 Oct 2017)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on October 3, 2017 (CALDB version 20171002). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 75, valid through 2017-10-02.
NuSTAR Data Analysis Guide Updated (03 Oct 2017)
The NuSTAR Data Analysis Guide was updated to version 1.9.3
2017 Nobel Prize in Physics Announcement (03 Oct 2017)
Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne have won the 2017
Nobel Prize in physics for the detection of black hole collisions that created
gravitational waves. The LIGO and Virgo detectors in the US and Italy were used
to conduct this research. Just a week ago, The LIGO Scientific and Virgo
collaborations reported the fourth such detection.
Chandra ACIS Survey for X-Ray AGN in Nearby Galaxies (28 Sep 2017)
This catalog of 719 galaxies within 50 Mpc with available
Chandra ACIS observations that have been searched for X-ray emitting
AGN (resulting in 314 detections) from She
et al. 2017, ApJ, 835, 223) is now available in Browse
and
Xamin.
Gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger observed by LIGO and Virgo on August 14, 2017 (27 Sep 2017)
The LIGO Scientific and Virgo collaborations report the first
joint detection of gravitational waves with both the LIGO and Virgo detectors.
The detection of GW170814 is the fourth one announced of a binary black hole
system and the first
significant gravitational-wave signal recorded by the Virgo detector.
The gravitational waves were emitted during the final moments of the
merger of two black holes with masses about 31 and 25 times the mass of the
sun and located about 1.8 billion light-years away. A paper
has been accepted for publication in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Young Cluster NGC 3293 Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (25 Sep 2017)
This catalog of 1,026 X-ray point sources detected in a
71-ksec Chandra ACIS observation of NGC 3293, a young stellar cluster at the
northwestern periphery of the Carina Nebula Complex (from Preibisch
et al. 2017, A&A, 605, A85) is now available in Browse
and
Xamin.
Viewing tool updated (22 Sep 2017)
Swift's orbital pole constraints have been updated in the
Viewing tool. The revised coefficients extrapolate the trend for the
next year.
NICER First ATEL: The Hard X-ray transient MAXI J1535-571 (22 Sep 2017)
NICER has observed the hard X-ray transient MAXI J1535-571 several times from 2017 September 9 through September 20. The source had a NICER count rate ranging from 3,200 to 17,000 counts per second over this interval. NICER detects a set of low-frequency QPOs in a 1:2 frequency ratio, while the time-averaged spectrum shows broadened iron emission and puts constraints on the black hole spin parameter and the inclination of the accretion disk.
The Accretion-Powered Pulsar SXP 1062 Reveals Unique Timing Glitch (21 Sep 2017)
The discovery of the largest timing irregularity yet observed in
a pulsar is the first confirmation that pulsars in binary systems can exhibit
the strange phenomenon known as a 'glitch'. A group of scientists from the
Middle East Technical University and Baskent University in Turkey (Serim et al. 2017,
MNRAS, 471, 4982) has discovered a sudden change in the
rotation speed of the peculiar binary pulsar SXP 1062.
TESS Cycle 1 Phase 1 Proposal Deadline Has Been Extended to October 6, 2017, 4:30 PM EDT (19 Sep 2017)
To give more time to proposers who are without power because of
Hurricane Irma, ROSES-17 Amendment 31 delays the Phase-1 proposal due date for
this program element to October 6, 2017. Phase-1 proposals are due by 4:30
PM EDT on that day via the ARK/RPS web
page. For full details on the TESS Cycle 1 program
elements and how to submit proposals, please see the TESS
proposers' information page.
Swift Cycle 14 Deadline Has Been Extended to September 28, 2017, 4:30 PM EDT (18 Sep 2017)
To give more time to proposers who are without power because of
Hurricane Irma, ROSES-17 Amendment 30 delays the Phase-1 proposal due date for
this program element to September 28, 2017. Phase-1 proposals are due by 4:30
PM EDT on that day via the ARK/RPS web
page. For full details on the Swift Cycle 14 program
elements and how to submit proposals, please see the Swift Cycle 14 information
page at the top link and the Cycle
14 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
Star Formation in Nearby Clouds (SFiNCs) X-Ray Source Catalog (15 Sep 2017)
This catalog of 15,364 X-ray sources detected in Chandra ACIS
obsrervations of 22 nearby star-forming regions (SFRs), from Getman
et al. 2017, ApJS, 229, 28, is now available in Browse and
Xamin,
as is the catalog
of nearly 8500 probable cluster members of these SFRs
(a 40% increase over the previous census) that was presented in the same
paper.
Reed Catalog of Galactic OB Stars (13 Sep 2017)
This catalog of the photometric and spectroscopic properties of
over 18,000 known or reasonably suspected OB stars
in the Milky Way Galaxy, from Reed
et al. 2005, AJ, 130, 1652 and Reed
2003, AJ, 125, 2531, is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Viewing tool updated (12 Sep 2017)
Support for XMM-Newton has been updated to work with the latest
version of the ESA XMM-Newton Target Visibility Checker.
NICER Featured on "Science in Seconds" (08 Sep 2017)
NICER was featured on "Science in Seconds" a short introduction to NICER, with NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen and Dr. Rita Sambruna, NICER program scientist.
Swift CALDB Data updated (08 Sep 2017)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20170831).
The NuSTAR Survey Source Catalog of the Extended Chandra Deep Field
South (ECDF-S) (6 Sep 2017)
This catalog of 54 sources detected by the Nuclear Spectroscopic
Telescope Array (NuSTAR) in the full 30' x 30' area of the ECDF-S field to a
maximum exposure of ~360 ks (~220 ks when corrected for vignetting at 3-24
keV), from Mullaney
et al. 2015, ApJ, 808, 184, is now available in Browse and
Xamin,.
2018 NASA Hubble Fellowship Program (NHFP) Is Now Accepting
Applications (5 Sep 2017)
The 2018 Announcement of Opportunity for new Hubble, Einstein and
Sagan Fellows has been released, with applications due by Nov. 2, 2017 at 7 pm
EDT/4 pm PDT. The NHFP provides an opportunity for highly qualified recent
postdoctoral scientists to conduct independent research in any area of NASA
Astrophysics. It encompasses the areas of astrophysics previously covered by
the NASA Einstein, Hubble, and Sagan Fellowships.
Evidence Found for an Intermediate-Mass Black Hole (IMBH) near the Galactic Center (5 Sep 2017)
A team of researchers with Keio University in Japan has found
evidence of a mid-sized black hole near the center of the Milky Way galaxy. In
their paper (just published in Oka
et al. 2017, Nature Astronomy), they describe their study
using the Atacama Sub-mm Telescope Experiment (ASTE) and the Atacama Large
mm/Sub-mm Array (ALMA) of a peculiar molecular cloud (CO-0.40-0.22) near the
Galactic Center that has an extremely broad velocity width
that they attribute to gas motion around an IMBH.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (30 Aug 2017)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on August 30, 2017 (CALDB version 20170817). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 74, valid through 2017-08-17.
Chandra CALDB 4.7.6 installed at the HEASARC (28 Aug 2017)
CalDB 4.7.6 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.7.6 was released by the CXC on August 18, 2017...
PIMMS updated to Version 4.8e (28 Aug 2017)
Version 4.8e contains an updated set of XMM-Newton EPIC effective area curve files, suitable for use for AO-17 proposals....
XSPEC 12.9.1m,n Patch Released (28 Aug 2017)
Released on August 18, 2017. Release 12.9.1m updates the XSPEC Tcl library, while 12.9.1n fixes a normalization error in the calculation of the lorentzian line in the "speedy" option.
IRAM NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) Observation Log (28 Aug 2017)
The first version of the IRAM NOEMA - the successor to the Plateau
de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) - observing log (Dan et al. 1991-2017, IRAM
Newsletters) containing 299 observations from May 31 through September 30, 2015
is now available in Browse and
Xamin,
as well as updated versions of the IRAM PDBI
and 30-m Single-Dish Telescope observing logs.
Participation in the X-Ray Astronomy Recovery Mission (XARM) (25 Aug 2017)
JAXA and NASA are pleased to announce to the international
community plans for scientific participation in the X-ray Astronomy Recovery
Mission (XARM). The mission, which is expected to launch in early 2021, will
bring spectacular advances in our understanding of the high-energy universe.
These advances, however, are only possible with the full participation and
engagement of the worldwide scientific community. Accordingly, the two agencies
announce their plans for enabling community participation in XARM.
News Story: NuSTAR Observed This Week's Solar Eclipse (24 Aug 2017)
On August 21, for about two minutes across a swath of North
America, Earth's moon passed in front of and completely blocked out the sun,
causing a total solar eclipse. Countless people witnessed this rare phenomenon,
the first total solar eclipse in North America in 38 years. Just last week,
scientists at Caltech and JPL decided that NuSTAR, the Nuclear Spectroscopic
Telescope Array, would watch with them.
Reminder: Swift Cycle 14 Deadline is Nearing: September 21, 2017, 4:30 PM EDT (23 Aug 2017)
For details on the Swift Cycle 14 program elements and how to
submit proposals, please see the Swift Cycle 14 information page (the link
above) and the Cycle
14 Requently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (21 Aug 2017)
The NuSTAR FPM CALDB at the HEASARC was updated to CALDB version 20170727. This CALDB patch is a required update for using saamode=3 now available with NuSTARDAS v1.8.0., released in HEASoft 6.22.
First release of the NICER XTI CALDB (18 Aug 2017)
The first release of the NICER XTI caldb is now available from the HEASARC (CALDB update version 20170814). Please make sure you're using the most recent version of the caldb.config file in order to access the NICER XTI CALDB data.
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Guest Investigator Cycle 1 Proposal Submission Page Is Now Open for Business (16 Aug 2017)
The deadline for TESS Cycle 1 Guest Investigator proposals is
2017-09-29 at 4:30pm EDT. These proposals must be submitted through the
HEASARC's Remote Proposal System, which is now open for such submissions.
HEASoft 6.22 Released (16 Aug 2017)
Released August 15, 2017. This release updates mission-specific software packages for NICER, Hitomi, NuSTAR, Swift, XTE and some other missions, and updates CFITSIO to handle remote file access via https ....
ISS-CREAM for the International Space Station (14 Aug 2017)
At 12:31 pm EDT today (August 14), a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft was
launched from Kennedy Space Center carrying, among many other things, the
ISS-CREAM (International Space Station Cosmic Ray Energetics
And Mass) payload. This will be
attached to the International Space Station and, starting in
Fall 2017, will be used to to extend the energy reach of direct measurements
of cosmic rays to the highest energy possible to probe their origin,
acceleration and propagation. ISS-CREAM is a collaboration of US, Korean,
French and Mexican institutions.
The S-Band Polarization All-Sky Survey (S-PASS) 2.3-GHz Source Catalog (11 Aug 2017)
This new catalog of 23,389 2.3-GHz sources detected by the Parkes
radio telescope in the entire southern sky except for regions within 10
degrees of the Galactic Plane (from Meyers
et al. 2017, PASA, 34, 13) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
NASA Selects Proposals to Study Galaxies, Stars, Planets (10 Aug 2017)
NASA has selected 6 astrophysics Explorers Program proposals
for concept studies. The selected proposals comprise 3 Medium-Class Explorers
missions and 3 Explorers Missions of Opportunity, and include Arcus,
a MidEx mission that would study stars, galaxies and clusters of galaxies
using high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy, the Transient
Astrophysics Observer on the ISS MoO, a wide-field X-ray transient
detector that would observe numerous such events per year related to
compact objects, e.g., GW counterparts, X-ray bursts, GRBs, etc., and
the Compton Spectrometer and Imager Explorer (COSI-X),
a balloon-borne, wide-FOV telescope
designed to survey the gamma-ray sky at 0.2-5 MeV, performing high-resolution
spectroscopy, wide-field imaging, and polarization measurements.
Xamin Update (09 Aug 2017)
Xamin, the HEASARC's modern and fast archive interface, was updated to version 4.2 on August 1, 2017. This version includes changes to support SSA data products for Chandra and INTEGRAL, and updates Hera support
The Very Large Array 1.4-GHz Source Catalog of the Field of the A370 Cluster of Galaxies (08 Aug 2017)
This catalog of 699 1.4-GHz sources detected in a VLA image
of a 40 by 40 sq. arcmin. field containing the A370 cluster of galaxies
that has a central noise level of 0.006 milliJansky (from Wold
et al. 2012, ApJS, 202, 2) is now available in Browse and
Xamin, as is the catalog
of 524 1.4-GHz sources found in a similarly deep VLA image
of a 34 by 34 sq. arcmin. field centered on the A2390 cluster of galaxies
(from the same reference).
The Million Quasars Catalog (08 Aug 2017)
The latest version (v5.2, 5 August 2017) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2017)
containing a lot more than one million (1,998,464 to be exact) likely quasars
is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
NASA Seeks LISA Science Study Team Members (03 Aug 2017)
ESA has selected the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna for
formulation. LISA will be led by ESA with significant contributions in hardware
and science from NASA and several European member states. NASA recently issued
a call for nominations to serve on a NASA
Science Study Team that will advise the NASA LISA Study Office, as well as for
US representatives to ESA's LISA Science Study Team. Any US citizen or
permanent resident with expertise in instrumentation, data analysis,
astrophysics, or theory relevant to LISA is encouraged to apply. The deadline
for applications is Sep 1. Further details & application instructions.
NICER Press Release: Observations of PSR B1919+21 (02 Aug 2017)
NICER's science observations have begun. One of the first targets observed was PSR B1919+21, the first pulsar identified 50 years ago by Jocelyn Bell and Anthony Hewish.
XSPEC 12.9.1l Patch Released (31 Jul 2017)
Released on July 26, 2017. Release 12.9.1l fixes the approximation used for the Voigt profile...
Catalog of GALEX UV and ROSAT/XMM-Newton X-Ray Fluxes for M Dwarfs Within 10 Parsecs (27 Jul 2017)
This catalog of the GALEX UV and ROSAT/XMM-Newton X-ray fluxes
for 159 M dwarf stars selected from the All-Sky Catalog of Bright M Dwarfs
that are within 10 pc of the earth (from
Stelzer
et al. 2013, MNRAS, 431, 2063; 2014, MNRAS, 442, 343) is
now available in Browse and Xamin.
COSMOS Field X-Ray & Far-IR Detected AGN Multiwavelength Properties Catalog (25 Jul 2017)
The catalog of the multiwavelength properties of 692 X-ray
detected AGN and their far-infrared (FIR) detected host galaxies in the
redshift range from 0.1 to 4 that have been found in the COSMOS field (from
Lanzuisi
et al. 2017, A&A, 602, A123) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Chandra CALDB 4.7.5.1 installed at the HEASARC (21 Jul 2017)
CalDB 4.7.5.1 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.7.5.1 was released by the CXC on July 20, 2017...
NuSTAR CALDB Update (21 Jul 2017)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on July 21, 2017 (CALDB version 20170720). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 73, valid through 2017-07-20.
Press Release: Astrosat, Chandra, Hubble Simultaneously Detect a Coronal Explosion on the Nearest Planet-Hosting Star (20 Jul 2017)
Stars like Proxima Centauri are known to flare on timescales of a
few minutes to hours. The ongoing analysis of the data for this flare detected
on 31 May 2017 suggests
that the flux increases by several orders of magnitude in both X-rays and UV
and lasts ~1800 seconds. The energy released during this flare is of the order
of ~10 30 erg, 100 times the energy of large solar
flares.
Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasar Catalog (12th Data Release: DR12Q) (20 Jul 2017)
The SDSS DR12Q Catalog listing the X-ray, UV,
optical, IR and radio properties of 297,301 quasars, as well as their
redshifts, that were identified in the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey
(BOSS) of the SDSS-III via visual inspection of their spectra (from Paris
et al. 2017, A&A, 597, A79) is now available in
Browse and
Xamin
Gamma-ray Telescopes Reveal a High-energy Trap in Our Galaxy's Center (19 Jul 2017)
A combined analysis of data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space
Telescope and the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS), a ground-based
observatory in Namibia, suggests the Galactic Center contains a "trap"
that concentrates some of the highest-energy cosmic rays, among the fastest
particles in the Galaxy. Gaggero et al.
(2017) combined low-energy Fermi LAT data
with high-energy HESS data of the Galactic Center to create a
continuous gamma-ray spectrum describing this emission across
a thousand-fold span of energies.
NICER First Light (17 Jul 2017)
NASA's new Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission to study the densest observable objects in the universe has begun science operations.
To date, NICER has observed over 40 celestial targets to calibrate the X-ray Timing Instrument and supporting star-tracker camera.
The observations also validated the payload's performance that will enable its key science measurements.
The NuSTAR Serendipitous Survey 40-Month Primary Source Catalog (12 Jul 2017)
This catalog of 498 sources detected by the Nuclear Spectroscopic
Telescope Array (NuSTAR) in ~20 Ms of effective exposure time over 331 fields,
with an areal coverage of 13 deg 2 over the 3-24 keV
energy range (from Lansbury
et al. 2017, ApJ, 836, 99) is now available in Browse and
Xamin, as is the companion
Secondary Source Catalog of 64 other X-ray sources from
the same paper.
XSPEC 12.9.1j,k Patches Released (12 Jul 2017)
Released on June 30, 2017. Release 12.9.1j fixes several issues wiht the "goodness" command, while 12.9.1.k improves diagnostic output in some instances when using the NEI model.
North America (NGC 7000) & Pelican (IC 5070) Nebulae X-ray Source Catalog (11 Jul 2017)
The catalog of 721 X-ray sources detected in 7 observations by the
XMM-Newton EPIC and in 4 observations by the Chandra ACIS of the North-America
and Pelican star-forming region (NGC 7000/IC 5070) (from
Damiani
et al. 2017, A&A, 602, A115) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Chandra Cycle 19 Accepted Proposals and Targets Lists Are Now Available (10 Jul 2017)
The Chandra Peer-Review recommended targets and proposals for
Chandra Cycle 19, including GTO and GO proposals, joint proposals with other
ground-based and/or satellite facilities, archive, theory, large and
multicycle proposals, have now been publically released.
News Item: JAXA, NASA approve replacement for failed Hitomi astronomy satellite (10 Jul 2017)
The Japanese space agency (JAXA) is moving ahead with a
smaller-scale X-ray astronomy satellite to replace the failed Hitomi
observatory, which spun out of control about a month-and-a-half after
its launch last year. The X-ray Astronomy Recovery Mission, or XARM, could
launch as soon as March 2021, filling a potential gap in astronomers' X-ray
vision of the universe, according to JAXA.
NASA has agreed to be a junior partner in XARM, supplying X-ray telescopes and
a spectrometer for this mission.
The VLA-COSMOS 3-GHz Large Project Source Catalog (07 Jul 2017)
This catalog of 10,830 3-GHz sources down to a 5-sigma detection
level of ~0.011 milliJansky in the 2 square degree Cosmic Evolution Survey
(COSMOS) field (from Smolcic
et al. 2017, A&A, 602, A1) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin, as is the catalog
of 9,161 multi-wavelength counterparts of these sources
(from Smolcic
et al. 2017, A&A, 602, A2).
NICER Status Update (30 Jun 2017)
NICER commissioning is underway. Fine alignment of the Star Tracker and X-ray Timing Instrument has been completed. The Thermal system is functioning exactly as expected. NICER has observed a number of celestial targets mostly calibration with some observations of NICER science targets.
Swift CALDB Data updated (30 Jun 2017)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20170629).
XSPEC 12.9.1i Patch Released (27 Jun 2017)
Released on June 16, 2017. Fixes issue with multiple XSPEC log file open and close operations on Macs.
NASA XMM-Newton Budget AO Released for AO-16 (27 Jun 2017)
Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog for the Old Open Cluster Collinder 261 (15 Jun 2017)
The catalog of 151 X-ray sources detected in a 53.8 ks observation
of the 7-Gyr old open cluster Cr 261 by the Chandra ACIS instrument (from
Vats
& van den Berg 2017, ApJ, 837, 130) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin, as is the associated list of 135
optical counterpart candidates of 98 of these X-ray sources.
A New X-Ray Observatory is Launched: the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) (15 Jun 2017)
The Chinese X-ray observatory, HXMT (also known as Insight),
was launched earlier today (3:00 UTC) on a Long March 4B rocket. This mission
will perform
the most sensitive all-sky survey to date in the hard X-ray (20-250 keV)
energy band. It also has soft and medium X-ray (1 - 30 keV) detectors for
pointed observations of such objects as X-ray binaries, AGN, SNRs, soft gamma
repeaters, and clusters of galaxies. Congratulations to our Chinese
colleagues!
NuSTAR CALDB Update (14 Jun 2017)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on June 14, 2017 (CALDB version 20170614) This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 72, valid through 2017-06-14.
NICER Installed on ELC2 (14 Jun 2017)
As of June 14, NICER is installed on the ISS Express Logistics Carrier 2 Site 7, and power up of the instrument has begun.
Happy 5th Birthday to NuSTAR! (13 Jun 2017)
The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) spacecraft
was launched on a Pegasus XL rocket dropped from a Lockheed L-1011 "TriStar"
aircraft flying over the Pacific Ocean near the Kwajalein Atoll on June 13,
2012. Since then it has made over 2100 hard X-ray observations in science mode
which have yielded (to date) hundreds
of refereed and other publications.
ROSAT All-Sky Survey and Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7 Galaxy Clusters (13 Jun 2017)
This catalog of the X-ray emission (or lack thereof) found in
the RASS at the positions of 64,646 candidate galaxy clusters optically
identified in the SDSS DR7 (from Wang
et al. 2014, MNRAS, 439, 611) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Extraction of NICER from the Dragon Trunk (12 Jun 2017)
This video by made by Mark Egan (MIT) shows NICER being extracted from the Dragon Trunk.
INTEGRAL AO-15 General Program Approved (8 Jun 2017)
The INTEGRAL AO-15 General Program, as recommended by
the Time Allocation Committee (TAC) and approved by ESA's Director of
Science (Prof. Alvaro Giménez), has been
released and the observers have been informed.
Upcoming NICER activities (07 Jun 2017)
The following is the list of upcoming NICER activities and approximate dates:
NICER extracted from the Dragon trunk (June 11); NICER installed on the ISS ELC2 (June 12-13); NICER powered up, deployed, and NICER range of motion verified by robotic camera (June 14); NICER executes initial Pointing control test and Detector initial checkout (June 15); NICER raster scan of Serpens X-1 to determine X-ray instrument and star tracker alignment (June 17); initial calibration and hardware commissioning (June 21-July 12); NICER science program begins (July 13)
List of Selected Fermi Cycle 10 GI Program proposals is Now Available (07 Jun 2017)
The Fermi Cycle-10 stage-I proposal selection process has now been
completed, and the list of the selected programs, including the PIs, titles
and abstracts is now available. There were a total of 43 new programs selected
for stage I out of 183 proposals submitted.
The Canadian Galactic Plane Survey Catalog of Compact 1420_MHz Sources (06 Jun 2017)
The CGPS catalog of 72,758 compact (i.e., with an angular size
less than 3 arcminutes) 1420-MHz continuum sources down to a 5-sigma detection
level of ~1.2 mJy in the 52 < l < 192 degrees range of the Galactic
Plane (from Taylor
et al. 2017, AJ, 153, 113) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Dragon Captured (05 Jun 2017)
The Dragon capsule carrying NICER was successfully captured by the robotic arm on the ISS a bit ahead of the scheduled capture at 10:00 EDT.
Rendezvous with ISS and Capture (05 Jun 2017)
The Dragon capsule, and NICER, will rendezvous with the ISS this morning. Capture of the capsule by the station's robotic arm is scheduled for 10am EDT, and may be viewed live on NASA TV.
NICER Launched June 3, 5:07pm EDT (05 Jun 2017)
The Commercial Resupply Services-11 (CRS-11) mission launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 3, 17:07 EDT (21:07 UTC). CRS-11 marks the first re-use of a Dragon capsule. The CRS-11 payload includes the
Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray timing observatory. NICER is scheduled to be extracted from the Dragon trunk on June 11 and installed onto the Space Station's ExPRESS Logistics Carrier (ELC) on June 13.
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalog (Version 3XMM-DR7) (05 Jun 2017)
The updated version of this catalog (from Rosen, Webb, Watson et
al. 2016, A&A, 590, A1) containing 727,790
X-ray source detections (an increase of 49,110 compared to DR6) drawn from a
total of 9,710 XMM-Newton EPIC observations made between 2000 Feb 3 and 2016
December 15 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XSPEC 12.9.1f, g, h Patches Released (05 Jun 2017)
Released on June 2, 2017. These patches fix issues with the "error" command, the "goodness" command when using cstat statistics and a problem setting the NEI version when NEI_VERSION is not specified.
Planck Catalog of Compact Sources Public Release 2 (PCCS2) 30, 44, 70, 100, 143, 217, 353, 545 and 857 GHz Source Tables (01 Jun 2017)
These 9 tables of 30-857 GHz radio sources (from the
Planck Collaboration 2016, A&A, 594, A26) are now available in Browse
and
Xamin. These tables supersede the Planck Catalog of
Compact Sources Public Release 1 (PCCS1) tables (which have been removed).
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue: 3XMM-DR7 Released (01 Jun 2017)
Latest release of the XMM SSC: 3XMM-DR7
Current NICER launch date: June 1, 2017 (23 May 2017)
NICER is currently scheduled for launch to the ISS on SpaceX-11, which is now scheduled for launch on June 1 at 5:55 pm eastern time from the Kennedy Space Center. Backup dates are June 3 (5:04 PM EDT) and 4 (4:44 PM EDT).
News Feature: SpaceX Dragon to Deliver Research - including NICER - to the Space Station (22 May 2017)
SpaceX is scheduled to launch its Dragon spacecraft for its
11th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station on June 1
from Kennedy Space Center's historic pad 39A. Dragon will lift into
orbit atop the Falcon 9 rocket carrying crew supplies, equipment and scientific
research, including the NICER payload, to crew members living aboard the
station. Once affixed to the exterior of the space station, NICER will study
the physics of neutron stars, providing new insight into their nature and
behavior.
Planck High-Redshift Source Candidates (PHZ) Catalog (22 May 2017)
This catalog of 2,151 Planck high-z source candidates (the PHZ
list) that have been detected in the cleanest 26% of the sky, with flux
densities at 545 GHz above 500 mJy (from the
Planck
Collaboration 2016, A&A, 596, A100 is now available
in Browse and Xamin.
FRIICAT - FIRST Catalog of FR II Radio Galaxies (18 May 2017)
This catalog of 123 Fanaroff and Riley class II edge-brightened
radio galaxies (FR IIs) with redshifts <= 0.15 that were obtained by
combining observations from the NVSS, FIRST, and SDSS surveys (from Capetti
et al. 2017, A&A, 601, A81) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Swift Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT) Serendipitous Source Catalog, v1.1 (17 May 2017)
Version 1.1 of the Swift UVOT SSC listing the
optical and UV properties of 13,860,568 source detections made by this
telescope
(v1.0 is described in Page et al. 2015, Proc. Swift 10 Years of
Discovery conference, p. 37) is now available in Browse and
Xamin, as is the associated list of 23,059 UVOT observations from the start of Swift operations in
2005 until Oct 1, 2010 in which these sources were found.
Second Planck Sunyaev Zel'dovich Source Catalog (PSZ2) (16 May 2017)
The all-sky Planck catalog of 1,653 galaxy
clusters and cluster candidates (PSZ2) derived from Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ)
effect detections using the full 29 months of Planck satellite observations -
the largest SZ-selected sample of galaxy clusters yet produced and the deepest
systematic all-sky survey of galaxy clusters - created by the
Planck
Collaboration 2016, A&A, 594, A27 is now available
in Browse and Xamin.
News Feature: Fermi Satellite Has Observed 1 Billion Gamma Rays with its LAT Instrument (15 May 2017)
NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has been capturing images
of the Universe in gamma rays, the most energetic form of light, since its
launch in 2008.
On April 12, 2017, one of the Fermi spacecraft's instruments - the Large Area
Telescope or LAT - detected its billionth extraterrestrial gamma ray,
hundreds of times more gamma rays than the previous-generation EGRET
instrument on the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory did.
Hitomi CALDB Data Updated (12 May 2017)
The Hitomi CALDB has been updated for the SXI (update version 20170405).
Swift CALDB Data updated (10 May 2017)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20170505), and the Swift XRT caldb has also been updated (update version 20170501).
NuSTAR Cycle 3 Results (10 May 2017)
The list of NuSTAR targets accepted by the Cycle 3 peer review is
now available. Cycle 3 observations will start to be routinely performed on
June 1, 2017. Written evaluations will be sent to all NuSTAR Cycle 3 PIs in
the next few weeks.
The Million Optical/Radio/X-Ray Associations (MORX) Catalog (09 May 2017)
The MORX catalog (from Flesch
2016, PASA, 33, 52), which combines all of the largest
published optical, radio, and X-ray sky catalogs in order to find 1,121,055
probable radio/X-ray associations with optical objects, plus double radio
lobes, is now available in both Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (05 May 2017)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on May 5, 2017 (CALDB version 20170503). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 71, valid through 2017-05-03.
The Million Quasars Catalog (04 May 2017)
The latest version (v4.8b, 30 July 2016) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2016)
containing more than one million (1,422,219 to be exact) likely quasars is now
available in both Browse and
Xamin.
XMM-Newton Optical Monitor (OM) Serendipitous UV Survey Source Catalog, v3.0 (04 May 2017)
The updated version 3.0 of the XMM OM-SUSS Catalog listing the
optical and UV properties of 6,880,116 source detections made by the XMM-Newton
OM (v1.0 is described in Page et al. 2012, MNRAS, 426, 903) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin, as is the associated list of 7,886 XMM observations from 2000 to July 2015 in which these
sources were found.
XSPEC 12.9.1e Patch Released (03 May 2017)
Released May 3, 2017. Fixes problem with the PyXspec command Xset.restore() function handling of "cd" (change directory) commands.
XMM-Newton Wide Angle Survey (XWAS) Catalog (03 May 2017)
This catalog of 940 XMM-Newton X-ray sources that have been
spectroscopically identified through optical observations using the AAT 2dF
(from Esquej
et al. 2013, A&A, 557, A123) is now available in Browse
and
Xamin.
NICER launch date update: June 1, 2017 (02 May 2017)
NICER is currently scheduled for launch to the ISS on SpaceX-11, which is now scheduled for launch on June 1 at 5:55 pm eastern time from the Kennedy Space Center.
Scientists Find Giant Wave Rolling Through the Perseus Galaxy Cluster (02 May 2017)
Combining data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory with radio
observations and computer simulations, an international team of scientists has
discovered a vast wave of hot gas in the nearby Perseus galaxy cluster.
Spanning some 200,000 light-years, the wave is about twice the size of our own
Milky Way galaxy. See Walker et al.
(2017, MNRAS, 468, 2506) for the full details.
North Celestial Pole Region Radio Sources Detected by the 21cm Array (02 May 2017)
This catalog of 624 radio sources detected around the North
Celestial Pole (NCP) with the 21 Centimeter Array (21CMA) interferometer in a
12-hr observation with frequency coverage from 75 to 175 MHz (from Zheng
et al. 2016, ApJ, 832, 190) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
VLA 6-GHz Observations of Low-Redshift SDSS QSOs Catalog (27 Apr 2017)
This catalog of a volume-limited sample of 178 low-redshift (0.2
< z < 0.3) optically selected quasi-stellar objects (QSOs)
observed at 6 GHz with the JVLA (from Kellermann
et al. 2016, ApJ, 831, 168) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XMM-Newton Slew Survey Source Catalogs (Version 2.0) (27 Apr 2017)
The updated versions of the XMM-Newton Slew Survey "Clean"
and
"Full"
Source Catalogs containing 29,393 and 72,352 X-ray sources, respectively,
detected during spacecraft slews are now available in Browse and
Xamin.
SOXS added to Astro-Updated (26 Apr 2017)
SOXS, the "Simulated Observations of X-ray Sources" has been added to the list of software monitored by Astro-Update. The current version of SOXS is 1.0.1
XSPEC 12.9.1c,d Patches Released (26 Apr 2017)
Released April 25, 2017. Patch c fixes the tclout(r) filename command for the case of type II pha files and adds a new tclout margin fractions option. Patch d adds additional attributes to the PyXSPEC Xset.parallel object (to match the options available in standard XSPEC's parallel command) and also adds a new Xset.parallel.show() function.
U.S. XMM-Newton GO grant program for AO-16 to open around June 2017 (25 Apr 2017)
The GO grant program for AO-16 will open around 2017 June. Eligible PIs will be notified at that time about the grant proposal details.
UV-Bright Quasar Survey (UVQS) DR1 Catalog (25 Apr 2017)
This catalog of 3460 redshift ~ 1 AGN candidates based on
GALEX UV and WISE near-IR color selection criteria
(from Monroe
et al. 2016, AJ, 152, 25) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (24 Apr 2017)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on April 24, 2017 (CALDB version 20170419). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 70, valid through 2017-04-19.
Astro-Update Updated (19 Apr 2017)
The Astro-update page has been updated to include WVT Binning (last updated December 5, 2005) and to provide links to the CIAO and Fermi contributed software pages
XSPEC 12.9.1b Released (13 Apr 2017)
Released April 11, 2017. The default behavior of the goodness command has now been changed to draw parameter values from the posterior distribution
IC 1396A & Trumpler 37 Cluster Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (11 Apr 2017)
This catalog of 415 X-ray sources detected by the Chandra
ACIS Imaging array in the field of the IC 1396 H II region in the vicinity of
the IC 1396A globule and the Trumpler 37 star cluster
(from Getman
et al. 2012, MNRAS, 426, 2917) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
HEASoft 6.21 Released (05 Apr 2017)
Released April 5, 2017. This release fixes a problem in CFITSIO where remote copies and CALDB remote access would fail if secure https connections or ftp connections were used to access the HEASARC servers ....
The Second ROSAT All-Sky Survey Source Catalog (03 Apr 2017)
This database table contains the Second ROSAT All-Sky Survey Point Source Catalog (2RXS; Boller et al. 2016). This is the second publicly released ROSAT catalog of point-like sources obtained from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey observations performed with the Position-Sensitive Proportional Counter between June 1990 and August 1991. This catalog includes more than 135,000 X-ray detections in the 0.1-2.4 keV energy band down to a likelihood threshold of 6.5, and is now available in Browse and Xamin.
NuSTAR Probes Puzzling Galaxy Merger (28 Mar 2017)
A supermassive black hole (SMBH) inside a tiny galaxy is
challenging scientists' ideas about what happens when two galaxies merge.
Was 49 is the name of a system consisting of a large disk galaxy, referred to
as Was 49a, merging with a much smaller "dwarf" galaxy called Was 49b. The
dwarf galaxy rotates within the larger galaxy's disk, about 26,000 light years
from its center. Using NuSTAR, Secrest
et al. (2017, ApJ, 836, 183), have discovered that the
dwarf galaxy is so luminous in high-energy X-ray, it must host an SMBH much
larger and more powerful than expected for such a lightweight.
BETA Pilot Multi-Epoch Continuum Survey of Spitzer SPT Deep Field (24 Mar 2017)
This catalog of 3,722 radio source components detected by the
Boolardy Engineering Test Array (BETA) prototype of the Australian Square
Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) in the 711-1015 MHz band in 150 sq.
deg. covering two-thirds of the Spitzer South Pole Telescope Deep Field
(from Heywood
et al. 2016, MNRAS, 457, 4160) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Andromeda's Bright Hard X-Ray Mystery Source Identified by NuSTAR (24 Mar 2017)
The Milky Way's close neighbor galaxy Andromeda (M 31), features a
dominant source of high-energy X-ray emission, but its identity has been
mysterious until now. As reported in a new study by
Yukita
et al. (2017, ApJ, in press), NASA's NuSTAR (Nuclear
Spectroscopic Telescope Array) mission has pinpointed the object responsible
for this high-energy radiation to be Swift J0042.6+4112, a possible pulsar,
the dense remnant of a dead star that is highly magnetized and spinning.
Viewing tool updated (23 Mar 2017)
Swift's orbital pole constraints have been updated in the
Viewing tool. The revised coefficients extrapolate the trend for the
next year.
NICER expected launch date: May 14, 2017 (21 Mar 2017)
NICER is currently scheduled for launch to the ISS on May 14, 2017 from the Kennedy Space Center.
NASA's Swift Mission Maps a Star's 'Death Spiral' into a Black Hole (21 Mar 2017)
Some 290 Myrs ago, a star much like the sun wandered too
close to the central black hole of its galaxy. Intense tides tore the star
apart, which produced an eruption of optical, UV and X-ray light that
first reached Earth in 2014. Now, a team of scientists using observations from
Swift have mapped out how and where these different wavelengths were produced
in the event, named ASASSN-14li, as the shattered star's debris circled the
black hole: see Pasham et al.
(2017, ApJ, 837, L30) for the full details.
15th INTEGRAL Announcement of Opportunity (21 Mar 2017)
The ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration (Prof. Alvaro Giménez Cañete) has released the 15th Announcement of
Opportunity for observing proposals with INTEGRAL.
The deadline for proposal submission is March 31, 2017.
Additional information can be found on the
ESA INTEGRAL website.
Chandra Deep Field-South 7-Megasecond X-Ray Source Catalog (16 Mar 2017)
This catalog of 1,055 X-ray sources detected
in the combination of 102 separate observations of the CDF-S field (for a total
cleaned exposure time of 6.73 Ms) by Chandra's Advanced CCD Imaging
Spectrometer imaging array (ACIS-I) from Luo
et al. 2017, ApJS, 228, 2 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
The State of Xamin and Browse (10 Mar 2017)
You may have noticed that a few problems have plagued the Browse and Xamin services over the last week. We have resolved many issues but anticipate that a few may still be pop up. We appreciate your patience as we ... Continue reading ...
Chandra ACIS GSG Point-Like X-Ray Source Catalog (10 Mar 2017)
This catalog of 217,828 independent X-ray point sources detected
in 10,029 observations by Chandra's Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS)
with a total exposure of 221,851 ks (from Wang
et al. 2016, ApJS, 224, 40) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Hitomi CALDB Data Updated (07 Mar 2017)
The Hitomi CALDB has been updated for the SGD (update version 20170208), and general spacecraft caldb (update version 20170208), and the Hitomi caldb superindex (update version 20170208).
Swift CALDB Data updated (07 Mar 2017)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20170306)
Xamin Batch Interface issues (07 Mar 2017)
A new version of the jar file used for the Xamin command line interface has been released. The older version contains a URL that is no longer valid and queries using this jar file will fail. There are two ways ... Continue reading ...
Reminder: Deadline for Chandra Cycle 19 Proposals is Very Near! (07 Mar 2017)
The deadline to submit proposals for the Chandra - Cycle 19 Call
for Proposals is March 15, 2017 at 6:00 pm EDT. This Call for Proposals (CfP)
solicits basic research proposals for the conduct of space science observations
and subsequent analysis of the resultant scientific data from Chandra. The CfP
also solicits proposals for research that makes use of publicly available
archived Chandra data and for theoretical and modeling studies related to
the Chandra mission.
NuSTAR Helps Find Universe's Brightest Pulsar (01 Mar 2017)
The brightest pulsar ever found (NGC 5907 ULX, detected by both
XMM-Newton and NuSTAR), has just been reported in the journal Science by
Israel
et al. (2017). In one second, NGC 5907 ULX emits the
same amount of energy (1041 erg) as our sun does in
three-and-a-half years. The authors note that standard accretion models fail to
explain this high luminosity, but models with strong multipolar magnetic
fields can.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (24 Feb 2017)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on February 24, 2017 (CALDB version 20170222). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 69, valid through 2017-02-22.
GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky MWA Survey (GLEAM) Extragalactic Catalog (24 Feb 2017)
This catalog of 307,455 radio sources with 20 separate flux
density measurements across the 72 - 231 MHz range that were detected in 24,402
square degrees south of +30 Dec (from Hurley-Walker
et al. 2017, MNRAS, 464, 1146) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
FRICAT - FIRST Catalog of FR I Radio Galaxies (22 Feb 2017)
This catalog of 233 Fanaroff and Riley class I edge-darkened
radio galaxies (FR Is) obtained by combining observations from the NVSS, FIRST,
and SDSS surveys (from Capetti
et al. 2017, A&A, 598, A49) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
New version of Astro-Upate Available (17 Feb 2017)
A new version of Astro-Update is now available. The software checks now are done using a python module which determines the software version and modification dates directly from the host page, ensuring that Astro-Update is kept up-to-date. In particular, see the new versions of Xamin, CASA, Tempo2 and the VLT pipeline software ...
Extremely Luminous X-Ray Source Candidates Catalog (15 Feb 2017)
This catalog of 119 unique luminous X-ray source candidates with
X-ray luminosities more than 3 x 10 40 erg/s from 93
galaxies within a distance of 250 Mpc (from Gong
et al. 2016, ApJ, 222, 12) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) Two-Meter Sky Survey Preliminary Data Release Source Catalog (13 Feb 2017)
The LoTSS catalog of 44,500 150-MHz radio sources detected by
LOFAR in an area of 381 sq. deg. in the region of the HETDEX Spring Field
(from Shimwell
et al. 2017, A&A, 598, A104) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope All-Sky 150-MHz Radio Source Catalog (10 Feb 2017)
The catalog of 623,604 150-MHz radio sources detected by the GMRT
between April 2010 and March 2012 as part of the TIFR GMRT Sky Survey (TGSS)
project (from Intema
et al. 2017, A&A, 598, A78) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
2WHSP Catalog of High Synchrotron Peaked (HSP) Blazars and Candidates (10 Feb 2017)
A catalog of 1,691 HSP blazars and blazar candidates that are
likely sources of high-energy and VHE gamma-ray emission (from Chang
et al. 2017, A&A, 598, A17) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Dan David Prize for 2017 Celebrates Time-Domain Astrophysics (09 Feb 2017)
The Dan David Prize annually awards 3 prizes of $1M
each to outstanding figures whose work represents remarkable achievement in
selected fields within the three time dimensions: past, present, and future.
For 2017, the fields are archaeology and natural sciences, literature, and
astronomy. US astrophysicists Neil Gehrels (NASA/GSFC)
and Shrinivas Kulkarni
(Caltech), and Polish astronomer Andrzej Udalski (U Warsaw), are the 2017
laureates in the future time dimension in astronomy. Neil Gehrels sadly passed
away on 6 Feb before he could be notified of his award.
NuSTAR, Swift and XMM-Newton Help Solve the "Rapid Burster" Mystery (02 Feb 2017)
Simultaneous Swift, NuSTAR and XMM-Newton observations of MXB
1730-335, a curious neutron star in a binary system known as the 'Rapid
Burster', may have solved a 40-year-old mystery surrounding its puzzling X-ray
bursts, according to van den Eijnden
et al.(2016, MNRAS, 466, L98)). The neutron star magnetic
field creates a gap in the accretion disk around the star,
largely preventing it from feeding on matter from its companion. Gas builds up
there until, under certain conditions, it hits the neutron star all at once,
producing intense flashes of X-rays.
Swift CALDB updated (01 Feb 2017)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the UVOTA (update version 20170130)...
Lists of Swift Cycle 13 Recommended Targets and Proposals Are Now Available (31 Jan 2017)
The lists of Swift Cycle 13 Guest Investigator Program
recommended targets and proposals have been posted on the Swift website.
Fermi LAT Second Catalog of Gamma-Ray Pulsars (27 Jan 2017)
A catalog of 117 neutron star pulsars identified using LAT data
through periodicity searches in gamma-rays and in radio data around LAT
unassociated source positions (from Abdo
et al. 2013, ApJS, 208, 17) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
HEASoft 6.20 Released (19 Jan 2017)
Released January 19, 2017. This release is primarily driven by updates to XSPEC, NuSTARDAS, XRTDAS, and the Hitomi software, but also includes updates to other packages which have been revised to mirror the current development versions in use at the HEASARC....
XSPEC 12.9.1 Released (19 Jan 2017)
Released January 19, 2017, with the release of HEASoft 6.20. Many models updated, speed increases, other enhancements.
XMM-Newton SAS v16.0.0 Released (17 Jan 2017)
The latest release of the XMM-Newton Science Analysis Software.
Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 XMM-Newton Source Match Catalog (13 Jan 2017)
A catalog of 5,220 XMM-Newton X-ray
sources and their multi-wavelength (e.g., SDSS, FIRST, GALEX, Herschel, etc.)
counterparts that were detected in the SDSS Stripe 82 Legacy field (from LaMassa
et al. 2016, ApJ, 817, 172) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Hitomi CALDB Data Updated (13 Jan 2017)
The Hitomi CALDB released to the HEASARC on December 22, 2016 was incomplete. The complete Hitomi CALDB has been re-released. This release includes data for the HXI (version 20161122), General Mission (Gen) data (version 20161122), the SXI (version 20161122) and the SXS (version 20161122)
Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 Chandra Source Match Catalog (12 Jan 2017)
A catalog of 1,146 Chandra X-ray
sources and their multi-wavelength (e.g., SDSS, FIRST, GALEX, Herschel, etc.)
counterparts that were detected in the SDSS Stripe 82 Legacy field (from LaMassa
et al. 2016, ApJ, 817, 172) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Swift CALDB Data updated (11 Jan 2017)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20170110)
NuSTAR Guest Observer Cycle 3 Deadline Is Near (05 Jan 2017)
The deadline for Phase-1 scientific/technical proposals for
the NuSTAR Cycle 3 GO Program is imminent: proposals are due no later than
4:30 pm EST on Friday, January 27th, 2017.
CFITSIO Version 3.41 released (29 Dec 2016)
Version 3.40 released November, 2016; significant bug fixes and enhancements...
XSPEC 12.9.0t, u Released (29 Dec 2016)
Released November 10, 2016. version "u" restores the apec fix of 12.9.0o that was unintentionally removed in 12.9.0t.
PIMMS updated to Version 4.8d (27 Dec 2016)
Version 4.8d released on December 21, 2016; contains an updated set of Chandra effective area curves, suitable for use for Cycle 19 proposals....
NuSTAR CALDB Tar File Updated (27 Dec 2016)
The tar file produced for the 2016-12-07 NuSTAR CALDB at the HEASARC for the 2016-12-07 was missing some files and so has been re-created. If you had previously downloaded this tar file, please re-download the new tar file (designated goodfiles_nustar_fpm_20161207a.tar.gz or goodfiles_nustar_fpm_clockcor_20161207a.tar.gz for the tar file that only contains the updated clock correction file
Hitomi CALDB Data Updated (22 Dec 2016)
The Hitomi CALDB has been released for the HXI (version 20161122), General Mission (Gen) data (version 20161122), the SXI (version 20161122) and the SXS (version 20161122)...
Chandra CALDB 4.7.3 installed at the HEASARC (22 Dec 2016)
CalDB 4.7.3 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.7.3 was released by the CXC on December 15, 2016...
MAXI Solid-state Slit Camera First Catalog of X-Ray Sources in the 0.7-7.0 keV Band (20 Dec 2016)
A catalog of 170 soft X-ray
sources detected by the MAXI SSC instrument in the period from 2010 August to
2014 April (from Tomida
et al. 2016, PASJ, 68, S32) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
NGC 6231 Young Massive Cluster Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (16 Dec 2016)
A catalog of 1,613 X-ray
sources found in a total exposure of 120 ks of the Chandra ACIS-I of the
NGC 6231 massive star cluster (from Damiani
et al. 2016, A&A, 596, A82) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
DS9 Updated (15 Dec 2016)
Version 7.5; improved BINTABLE support, security enhancements, 3D rendering performance, more ...
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope Low-Frequency Radio Survey of the Kepler K2 Field 1 (12 Dec 2016)
A catalog of 7,445 150-MHz radio sources found by the GMRT in
observations made as part of the TIFR GMRT Sky Survey (TGSS) in the area of
the Kepler K2 Field 1 pointing, covering the North Galactic Cap, (from Tingay
et al. 2015, AJ, 152, 82) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
Murchison Widefield Array Low-Frequency Radio Survey of the Kepler K2 Field 1 (09 Dec 2016)
A catalog of 2,556 154- and 185-MHz radio
sources found in an observation by the MWA that was contemporaneous with
the Kepler K2 Field 1 pointing, covering the North Galactic Cap, (from Tingay
et al. 2015, AJ, 152, 82) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (08 Dec 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on December 8, 2016 (CALDB version 20161207). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 66, valid through 2016-12-07. This version is the long-awaited "corrected" clock correction file that tracks clock drift by fitting to screened clock data.
Two-Year Extension for ESA-led Missions (7 Dec 2016)
ESA's Science Programme Committee (SPC) has confirmed two-year extensions for nine scientific missions including
INTEGRAL and XMM-Newton. This secures their operation until the end of 2018.
XMM-Newton AO-16 Results Released (02 Dec 2016)
The list of XMM-Newton observing proposals accepted by the AO-16 Observing Time Allocation Committee is now available.
INTEGRAL IBIS 11-Year Hard X-Ray Survey Above 100 keV Source Catalog (29 Nov 2016)
The all-sky catalog of 132 transient and persistent sources
detected above 100 keV by INTEGRAL IBIS during 11 years of operations (INTEGRAL
revolutions 26 to 1377) published in Krivonos
et al. (2015, MNRAS, 448, 3766) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Long-sought Signal Deepens Mystery of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) (21 Nov 2016)
What causes split-second blasts of radio waves that appear in the
sky from billions of light years away is one of the most perplexing mysteries
in astronomy. Now, for the first time, astronomers using the Swift BAT have
seen a flash of high-energy gamma-rays that looks as if it was emitted by the
same event that produced an FRB on November 4, 2013. A paper by DeLaunay et al.
on this event has just appeared in ApJ and is available online
here
.
Swift CALDB Data updated (21 Nov 2016)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20161118)
NASA Space Telescopes Pinpoint Elusive Brown Dwarf (16 Nov 2016)
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, NASA's Spitzer and Swift
space telescopes joined forces to observe a microlensing event, when a distant
star brightens due to the gravitational field of at least one foreground cosmic
object. This technique is useful for finding low-mass bodies orbiting stars,
such as planets. In this case, the observations revealed a brown dwarf.
This study by Shvartzvald et al. has just appeared in ApJ
(2016, 831, 183).
Starvation Diet for Black Hole Dims Brilliant Galaxy (10 Nov 2016)
Astronomers may have solved the mystery of the peculiarly volatile
behavior of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of the active galaxy
Mkn 1018. Combined data from Chandra and other observatories
suggest that this SMBH is no longer being fed enough fuel to make its
surroundings shine brightly. After discovering the AGN's fickle nature during
a survey project using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers observed
it with both Chandra and Hubble. Other observatories used in this study include
NuSTAR and Swift. Two papers on these results have just appeared in A&A:
Husemann
et al. and McElroy
et al. .
Sgr A* Region Compact Radio Source Catalog (03 Nov 2016)
A catalog of 318 34.5-GHz
sources found in a Jansky Very Large Array A configuration observation of the
Galactic Center region and their near-IR counterparts (from Yusef-Zadeh
et al. 2015, ApJ, 809, 10) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
NASA Missions Harvest a 'Passel of Pumpkin' Stars (28 Oct 2016)
Steven Howell and colleagues (2016,
ApJ, 831, 27) using observations from NASA's Kepler
and Swift missions have discovered a batch of rapidly spinning stars that
produce X-rays at more than 100 times the peak levels ever seen from the sun.
The stars, which spin so fast they've been squashed into pumpkin-like shapes,
are thought to be the result of close binary systems where two sun-like stars
merge.
IC 1805 Young Massive Cluster XMM-Newton Source Catalog (28 Oct 2016)
A catalog of 191 X-ray
sources found in a 49-ks XMM-Newton EPIC observation of the IC 1805 open
cluster (from Rauw
& Nazé 2016, A&A, 594, A82) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (25 Oct 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on October 25, 2016 (CALDB version 20161021). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 63, valid through 2016-10-21.
Fermi Finds Record-breaking Binary in Galaxy Next Door (13 Oct 2016)
Using data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and other
facilities, an international team of scientists has found the first gamma-ray
binary in another galaxy and the most luminous one ever seen. The dual-star
system, dubbed LMC P3, contains a massive star and a crushed stellar core that
interact to produce a cyclic flood of gamma rays, the highest-energy form of
light. A paper on
these results has just appeared in ApJ and is available online
here.
XSPEC 12.9.0q,r,s Released (4 Oct 2016)
XSPEC patches 12.9.0q,r,s, released August 19. Fixes issues with simftest, the GW method for MCMC, and 2-D contour plotting.
Viewing tool updated (28 Sep 2016)
Support for NICER has been added, and support for Hitomi has
been removed.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (23 Sep 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on September 23, 2016 (CALDB version 20160922). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 62, valid through 2016-09-22.
VLA Orion Nebula Cluster Compact Source Catalog (21 Sep 2016)
A deep cm-wavelength catalog of 556 compact
sources found in a 30-hr Jansky Very Large Array observation of the Orion
Nebula Cluster (from Forbrich
et al. 2016, ApJ, 822, 93) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Fermi Science Analysis Environment Source package Updated Mac OS X El Capitan (20 Sep 2016)
The FSSC is pleased to announce the availability of a version of the Fermi Science Tools that can be built from source on Darwin 15.6 (el Capitan). This release is only for users with problems using the binary version of the tools on el Capitan. Note that this version of the tools does not support the ROOT or gtburst software. The source code package can be found here.
Swift CALDB Data updated (20 Sep 2016)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20160908)
Hitomi CALDB Data Updated (20 Sep 2016)
The Hitomi CALDB has been released for the HXI (version 20160812), General Mission (Gen) data (version 20160812) and the SXS (version 20160715)...
Chandra X-ray Detection Sheds New Light on Pluto (19 Sep 2016)
Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, Lisse et al. have made
the first detections of X rays from Pluto. These observations offer new insight
into the space environment surrounding the largest and best-known object in the
solar system's outermost regions. While NASA's New Horizons spacecraft was
speeding toward and beyond Pluto, Chandra was aimed several times on the dwarf
planet and its moons, gathering data on Pluto that the missions could compare
after the flyby. Each of the 4 times Chandra pointed at Pluto it detected
low-energy X-rays from the small planet. A paper on
these results has just appeared in
Icarus .
Einstein Post-doctoral Fellowship Program Is Now Accepting Applications (14 Sep 2016)
The 2017 Call for Proposals for new Einstein Fellows has been
released. These appointments are expected to begin on or about Sep 1, 2017.
This program provides an opportunity for highly qualified, recent post-doctoral
scientists to conduct independent research that is broadly related to the
science goals of the NASA
Physics of the Cosmos program.
The deadline for applications is Nov 3, 2016.
PIMMS updated to Version 4.8c (14 Sep 2016)
Version 4.8c released on August 17, 2016; minor update of XMm-Newton EPIC effective area curves, suitable for use for AO-16 proposals....
Young Magnetar Is Likely the Slowest Pulsar Ever Detected (13 Sep 2016)
Using new data from Chandra, NuSTAR and Swift as well as archival
data, Rea et al. have found evidence for what is likely one of the most extreme
pulsars, or rotating neutron stars, ever detected. The source 1E 161348-5055 at
the center of the RCW 103 SNR exhibits properties of a highly magnetized
neutron star, or magnetar, yet its deduced spin period of 6.67 hours is
thousands of times longer than any pulsar ever observed. A paper on
these results has just appeared in ApJ Letters and is available online
here.
Fifth IBIS/ISGRI Soft Gamma-Ray Survey Catalog (08 Sep 2016)
The fifth version of the IBIS/ISGRI source catalog
containing the soft gamma-ray properties of 939
sources found in the first 1000 orbits (~3000 days) of INTEGRAL observations
(from Bird
et al. 2016, ApJS, 223, 15) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Two New Fast X-ray Transients Discovered in the Galactic Plane (01 Sep 2016)
Sguera et al. (2016, MNRAS, in press) have identified two new X-ray
sources, IGR J03346+4414 and IGR J20344+3913, in the galactic plane with short
outbursts (15 and 30 minutes, respectively) and very fast rise times, a
category known as fast X-ray transients (FXTs). The newly detected FXTs were
found in the archival data of ESA's INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics
Laboratory (INTEGRAL) spacecraft.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (30 Aug 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on August 30, 2016 (CALDB version 20160824). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 61, valid through 2016-08-24.
Record-Breaking Galaxy Cluster Discovered (30 Aug 2016)
A new record for the most distant galaxy cluster has been set
using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes. This galaxy
cluster called CL J1001+0220 may have been caught right after birth, a brief,
but important stage of evolution never seen before. It is located about 11.1
billion light years from Earth. The discovery of this object pushes back the
formation time of galaxy clusters by about 700 million years. A paper on
these results has just appeared in ApJ and is available online
here.
Extended Chandra Deep Field South 250-kilosecond Improved Point Source Catalog (26 Aug 2016)
This catalog containing the X-ray and multiwavelength properties
of 1059 X-ray sources found in a new analysis of the E-CDF-S Field 250-ks data
(from Xue
et al. 2016, ApJS, 224, 15) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Chandra Deep Field North 2-Megasecond Improved Point Source Catalog (25 Aug 2016)
This catalog containing the X-ray and multiwavelength properties
of 755 X-ray sources found in a new analysis of the CDF-N Field 2-Ms data
(from Xue
et al. 2016, ApJS, 224, 15) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XMM-Newton AO-16 Solicitation Released (23 Aug 2016)
XMM-Newton observing proposals are solicited in response to the Fourteenth Announcement of Opportunity.
A Black Hole Story Told by a Cosmic Blob and Bubble: The Mystery of
Hanny's Voorwerp (10 Aug 2016)
Two cosmic structures show evidence for a remarkable change in
behavior of a supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy. Using data from
the Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes, Lia Sartori and colleagues
are piecing
together clues from a cosmic 'green blob' (dubbed Hanny's Voorwerp) and a gas
bubble in the nearby galaxy IC 2497 that could be a new way to probe the past
activity of a giant black hole and its effect on its host galaxy. A paper on
these results recently appeared in MNRAS and is available online
here.
Xamin update August 2016 (08 Aug 2016)
For this Xamin update we have reinstated the Product Explorer for Grid queries and added bibliography table options. The Product Explorer allows users to see and select the kinds of products associated with query results displayed as a grid. Look ... Continue reading ...
Kappa Orionis Region XMM-Newton X-Ray Point Source Catalog (05 Aug 2016)
This catalog containing the X-ray and IR properties of 238 X-ray
sources found in two XMM-Newton observations of fields in the region of the
B0.5 Ia star Kappa Orionis (from Pillitteri
et al. 2016, ApJ, 820, L28) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTAR Feature: A Chorus of Black Holes Sings in X-rays (03 Aug 2016)
Supermassive black holes (SMBH) in the universe are like
a raucous choir "singing" in X-rays. When black holes pull in surrounding
matter, they let out powerful X-ray bursts. These "songs" of X-rays, coming
from a chorus
of millions of black holes, fill the entire sky - a phenomenon astronomers
call the cosmic X-ray background. NuSTAR has made significant progress in
resolving the high-energy X-ray background, finding that at least 35% is
attributable to SMBH, according to a new paper by
Harrison
et al. (2016, ApJ, in press).
NuSTAR CALDB Update (02 Aug 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on August 2, 2016 (CALDB version 20160731). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 60, valid through 2016-07-31.
Astronomers Discover Dizzying Spin of the Milky Way Galaxy's Halo (29 Jul 2016)
Using archival X-ray data obtained by XMM-Newton,
Hodges-Kluck et al. 2016, ApJ, 822, 21) have discovered
that the hot gas in the halo of the Milky Way galaxy is spinning in the same
direction and at comparable speed as the galaxy's disk, which contains
our stars, planets, gas, and dust.
XSPEC 12.9.0p Released (28 Jul 2016)
Patch 12.9.0p, released July 28, Allows unlinking of an already linked parameter in a Python-coded local model in PyXspec.
The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) and NuSTAR Data (28 Jul 2016)
The NuSTAR spacecraft flies through regions of the Earth's
radiation belts, e.g., the SAA, in parts of its orbit, resulting in an enhanced
background in its detectors.
The NuSTAR team has some advice about how to analyze data affected by such
high backgrounds (which is particularly applicable for fainter X-ray sources)
here.
Correction to NuSTAR CALDB Update 20160706 (28 Jul 2016)
There was an error in the NuSTAR CALDB update version 20160706 in which the caldb.indx file was pointing to an older CALDB version (20151008). This has now been fixed, and the tar files have been updated. If you have previously downloaded NuSTAR CALDB 20160706, you should re-download and re-install this version, or use Remote Access to access version 20160706 of the NuSTAR CALDB.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (22 Jul 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on July 22, 2016 (CALDB version 20160706). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 59, valid through 2016-07-06.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (21 Jul 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on July 21, 2016 (CALDB version 20160606, corresponding to the internal NuSTAR project release 20160606).
CANDELS H-Band Selected Chandra Source Catalog (21 Jul 2016)
This catalog of Chandra X-ray point sources (from
Cappelluti et al. 2016, ApJ, 823, 95), which contains
information on 698 X-ray sources in the Chandra Deep Field South, is now
available in Browse and
Xamin.
Viewing tool updated (20 Jul 2016)
Swift's orbital pole constraints have been updated in the
Viewing tool. The revised coefficients extrapolate the trend for the
next year.
List of Approved Fermi Cycle 9 GI Program proposals is Available (18 Jul 2016)
The Fermi Cycle-9 stage-I proposal selection process has now been
completed, and the list of the selected proposals is now available.
Notification letters will be sent in the near future.
Chandra Cycle 18 Accepted Proposals and Targets Lists Are Now Available (18 Jul 2016)
The Peer-Review recommended targets and proposals for Chandra
Cycle 18, including GTO and GO proposals, joint proposals with other
ground-based and/or satellite facilities, archive, theory, large and
multicycle proprosals, have now been publically released.
General CALDB updated (13 Jul 2016)
Update 13 July 2016: added new leap second (which will occur on 01 Jan 2017) into leapsec_010117.fits file.
Chandra Legacy Survey (CLS) Catalog (12 Jul 2016)
This catalog of Chandra X-ray sources (from
Civano et al. 2016, ApJ, 819, 62), which contains
information on 2,273 new X-ray sources as well as updated information on 1,743
C-COSMOS sources, is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalog (Version 3XMM-DR6) (07 Jul 2016)
The updated version of this catalog (from Rosen, Webb, Watson et
al. 2016, A&A, 590, A1) containing 678,680
X-ray source detections (an increase of 112,718 compared to DR5) drawn from a
total of 9,160 XMM-Newton EPIC observations made between 2000 Feb 3 and 2015
June 4 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Swift CALDB Data updated (07 Jul 2016)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (CALDB update version 20160706), and the Swift XRT CALDB has been updated to version 20160609 ...
Reminder: ROSES-2016 Astrophysics Theory Program Proposal Deadline Is Nearing! (06 Jul 2016)
Proposals for the ATP component of the ROSES-2016 NASA Research
Opportinity are due no later than July 8th.
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue: 3XMM-DR6 Released (05 Jul 2016)
Latest release of the XMM SSC: 3XMM-DR6
INTEGRAL AO-14 General Program Approved (28 Jun 2016)
The INTEGRAL AO-14 General Program, as recommended by
the Time Allocation Committee (TAC) and approved by ESA's Director of
Science and Robotic Exploration (Prof. Alvaro Gimenez), has been
released and the observers have been informed.
The Million Quasars Catalog (27 Jun 2016)
The latest version (v4.8, 22 June 2016) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2016)
containing more than one million (1,422,497 to be exact) likely quasars is now
available in both Browse and
Xamin.
Hitomi HXI CALDB Data Updated (24 Jun 2016)
The Hitomi HXI CALDB has been updated to include 2 files, ah_hx1_instmap_20140101v002.fits and ah_hx2_instmap_20140101v002.fits, which were inadvertently left out of the June 22 2016 release
Large Quasar Astrometric Catalog, 3rd Release (23 Jun 2016)
The 3rd edition of this catalog (from
Souchay et al. 2015, A&A, 583, A75), which contains
cross-identifications, optical, IR and radio data for 321,957 quasars, is now
available in Browse and
Xamin.
Hitomi CALDB Data Updated (22 Jun 2016)
The Hitomi CALDB has been released for the HXI (version 20160606), the SXI (version 20160614), the SGD (version 20160614), Generic Mission (Gen) data (version 20160606) and the SXS (version 20160606)...
Suzaku CALDB updated (16 Jun 2016)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20160607) ...
LISA Pathfinder Mission Paves Way for Space-based Detection of Gravitational Waves (14 Jun 2016)
LISA Pathfinder (LPF), an ESA-led mission with NASA contributions,
has successfully tested a key technology needed to build a space-based
observatory for detecting gravitational waves: it has reduced non-gravitational
forces on the two floating test masses to a level about 10,000 times smaller
than drag-free control technologies used on all previous science missions.
Happy 4th Birthday to NuSTAR (14 Jun 2016)
The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) spacecraft
was launched on a Pegasus XL rocket dropped from a Lockheed L-1011 "TriStar"
aircraft flying over the Pacific Ocean near the Kwajalein Atoll on June 13,
2012. Since then it has made over 1660 hard X-ray observations in science mode
which have yielded (to date) hundreds
of refereed and other publications.
Results of 2016 NASA SMD Astrophysics Senior Review of Operating Missions (10 Jun 2016)
The Astrophysics Division held the 2016 Senior Review in February
and March this year. There were individual panels for the Hubble Space
Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory that were separate from the main
comparative panel. Both the Hubble and Chandra reviews were undertaken as
incremental reviews from those held in 2014. The panel reports and the NASA
response document for the 2016 Senior Review are now available.
NICER, the New NASA Mission Studying Neutron Stars, Is On Track for Launch (09 Jun 2016)
On June 8th, NICER arrived at Kennedy Space Center. The launch
for NICER onboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft is
currently set for February 2017. NICER will deploy as an external attached
payload on the ISS ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 2.
Second Announcement of 11th INTEGRAL Conference (25 May 2016)
The 11th INTEGRAL Conference: Gamma-Ray Astrophysics in Multi-Wavelength Perspective
to be held 10-14 October 2016 in Amsterdam is now open for registration and
abstract submission. The abstract submission deadline is 1 July 2016.
NICER Passes Pre-Ship Review (25 May 2016)
NICER has cleared another major milestone review, and the
flight payload yesterday passed its Pre-Ship Review at Goddard, and will
depart for Kennedy Space Center on June 7. The launch date for NICER is
currently scheduled for February 1, 2017.
HEASoft 6.19 Released (12 May 2016)
Released May 11, 2016. This release is primarily driven by updates to the NuSTAR software and the release of NuSTARDAS v1.6.0, and the first public release of analysis software for the Hitomi mission, but also includes updates to other packages...
NuSTAR CALDB Update (12 May 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on May 12, 2016 (CALDB version 20160502, corresponding to the internal NuSTAR project release 20160315). This is a patch release, and includes a new CALDB file nuCchu123range20100101v001.fits, which defines how the CHU combinations are split using the nusplitsc FTOOL.
Hitomi CALDB Data Released (12 May 2016)
The Hitomi CALDB has been released for the HXI (version 0160422), the SXI (version 20160510), the SGD (version 20160310), Generic Mission (Gen) data (version 20160422) and the SXS (version 20160510)...
NuSTARDAS v1.6.0 Released (11 May 2016)
Released on May 11th, 2016, NuSTARDAS v1.6.0 was included in the
HEASoft 6.19 release on the same date. NuSTARDAS v1.6.0 users should make sure
to use version 20160502 (or later) of the NuSTAR CALDB. An updated version of
the NuSTARDAS users guide (v1.9.0) is also available.
Swift CALDB Data updated (09 May 2016)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (update version 20160504) ...
Updated IRAM 30-m Telescope Observation Log (29 Apr 2016)
The latest version of the IRAM 30-m telescope observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2015, IRAM Newsletters) containing 350,493 observations
completed through December 31, 2014 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Updated IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer Observation Log (29 Apr 2016)
The latest version of the IRAM PdBI observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2015, IRAM Newsletters) containing 19,689 observations
completed through September 30, 2014 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
CFITSIO Version 3.39 released (28 Apr 2016)
Version 3.39 released February 2016; added ffhisto3 and fits_open_extlist, other updates...
Operation Plan of the X-ray Astronomy Satellite ASTRO-H (Hitomi) (28 Apr 2016)
On April 28 (JST), JAXA issued a press release which stated that
they have determined that they cannot restore Hitomi's functions, and that,
accordingly, they will cease efforts to restore Hitomi and will focus on the
investigation of the causes of the anomaly.
Suzaku CALDB updated (24 Apr 2016)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20160401) ...
NuSTAR CALDB Update (22 Apr 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on April 22, 2016 (CALDB version 20160421). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 57, valid through 2016-04-21.
April 15th JAXA Update on the Status of the Hitomi Satellite (21 Apr 2016)
On April 15 (JST), JAXA held a press briefing to explain the
status of the X-ray Astronomy Satellite "Hitomi" (ASTRO-H) and their continuing
activities to re-establish communications with the satellite.
April 8th JAXA Update on the Status of the Hitomi Satellite (13 Apr 2016)
April 1st JAXA Update on the Status of the Hitomi Satellite (07 Apr 2016)
March 29th Update on the Status of the Hitomi Satellite (30 Mar 2016)
Chandra CALDB 4.7.1 installed at the HEASARC (29 Mar 2016)
CalDB 4.7.1 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.7.1 was released on March 25, 2016...
NuSTAR CALDB Update (28 Mar 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on March 28, 2016 (CALDB version 20160325). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 56, valid through 2016-03-25.
The Hitomi Satellite Has Had a Communications Failure (28 Mar 2016)
Swift CALDB Data updated (28 Mar 2016)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (update version 20160321), and swuphot20041120v108.fits has been restored to the UVOTA caldb.indx file (update version 20160321)...
First Announcement of 11th INTEGRAL Conference (18 Mar 2016)
SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the Astronomical Institute "Anton Pannekoek"
of the University of Amsterdam are organizing the 11th INTEGRAL Conference:
Gamma-Ray Astrophysics in Multi-Wavelength Perspective. It will be held
10-14 October 2016 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
X-Ray Selected High-Redshift AGN Catalog (18 Mar 2016)
This catalog containing the properties of 209 Chandra (C-COSMOS
and ChaMP) X-ray sources that comprise the largest high-redshift (z > 3)
X-ray-selected AGN sample to date (from Kalfountzou
et al. 2014, MNRAS, 445, 1430) is now available in Browse
and
Xamin.
INTEGRAL Observes Positron Annihilation during V404 Cygni Outburst (17 Mar 2016)
A team led by scientists at the Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) in Garching, Germany
report the discovery of intense bursts of photons at energies near 511 keV, which they interpret as
the signature of positron-electron annihilation near the microquasar V404 Cygni. The results have been
published in the 17 March 2016 issue of Nature.
IRAS 20126+4104 Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (16 Mar 2016)
This catalog containing the X-ray properties and
multiwavelength counterparts of 150 Chandra X-ray sources detected in
an ACIS-I observation of the IRAS 20126+4104 massive star-forming region
(from Montes
et al. 2015, ApJS, 219, 41) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Keith Gendreau, the NICER PI, will be in a Google Hangout on March 18, 3pm EDT (16 Mar 2016)
The AAS's "Future in Space Hangout" on March 18 at 3pm EDT will
feature the CATS (Cloud-Aerosol Transport System) and NICER (Neutron star
Interior Composition Explorer) payloads on the ISS, with Keith Gendreau the
NICER PI participating. The hangout will address questions such as how missions
are selected to run on the ISS and what the technical challenges are building
instruments for operation onboard the ISS.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (13 Mar 2016)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on March 13, 2016 (CALDB version 20160222). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 55, valid through February 22, 2016.
XSPEC 12.9.0k Released (13 Mar 2016)
Patch 12.9.0k, released February 25, allows negative redshifts when using xsatbl or addTableCalc.
PIMMS updated to Version 4.8b (13 Mar 2016)
Version 4.8b released on March 1, 2016; support for IXO has been discontinued....
CFITSIO Version 3.38 released (13 Mar 2016)
Version 3.38 released February 2016; contains a fix for a critical bug affecting Intel 15 and 16 compilers with -O2 (or
higher) optimization flag ...
The Million Quasars Catalog (09 Mar 2016)
The latest version (v4.7, 2 March 2016) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2016)
containing more than one million (1,393,164 to be exact) likely quasars is now
available in both Browse and
Xamin.
Viewing tool updated (08 Mar 2016)
The Viewing software has been updated to version 3.4. Chandra's
Sun-angle constraint has been updated. For Chandra, it will also now report
the visibility windows for unrestricted observations.
NuSTAR Cycle 2 Results (04 Mar 2016)
The list of NuSTAR targets accepted by the Cycle 2 peer review is
now available. Cycle 2 observations will start to be routinely performed on
May 1, 2016. Written evaluations will be sent to all NuSTAR Cycle 2 PIs in
the next few weeks. As specified in the AO, U.S. PIs of proposals with
category A or B targets will be invited to submit phase-2 funding proposals.
Note that 0.5 Ms of NuSTAR observing time is also available through the
Chandra Cycle 18 CfP, due March 15, 2016.
Roma-BZCAT Multi-Frequency Catalog of Blazars (03 Mar 2016)
The 5th edition of this catalog containing information on the
multi-frequency properties of 3561 blazars and blazar candidates (from
Massaro et
al. 2013, Ap&SS, 357, 75) is now available in
Browse and
Xamin.
Viewing and WebPIMMS tools updated (01 Mar 2016)
These tools have been updated to reflect the renaming of Astro-H
to Hitomi.
The Hitomi Satellite Has Completed Its Critical Initial Operation Phase (29 Feb 2016)
The JAXA X-ray astronomy satellite Hitomi, formerly known as
Astro-H, has successfully completed a sequence of important operations,
including turning the cooling system on, test operation of the Soft X-ray
Spectrometer (SXS), and extending the Extensible Optical Bench (EOB) for the
Hard X-ray imager (HXI). Hitomi is now in a stable condition and will perform
the initial functional verification of the onboard instruments for the next
month and a half.
14th INTEGRAL Announcement of Opportunity (29 Feb 2016)
The ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration (Prof. Alvaro Gimenez) has released the 14th Announcement of
Opportunity for observing proposals with INTEGRAL.
The deadline for proposal submission is April 8, 2016.
Additional information can be found on the
ESA INTEGRAL website.
Joint NuSTAR/INTEGRAL Observing Time is Available in INTEGRAL AO-14 (29 Feb 2016)
In the just-released INTEGRAL
Fourteenth
Announcement of Opportunity, ESA is providing the
opportunity to propose for coordinated observations with NuSTAR for a total of
100 ks of available time. The deadline for INTEGRAL AO-14 proposals is April
8th, 2016.
Xamin Version 3.0 (23 Feb 2016)
Yesterday we released a major update to our Xamin interface. We hope the new interface is more attractive and user friendly. It also includes a major upgrade to the underlying JavaScript library. Features in the new interface are described below. ... Continue reading ...
Release of Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2016, Omnibus Solicitation NNH16ZDA001N (20 Feb 2016)
NASA's Science Mission Directorate announced the release of its
annual ROSES omnibus solicitation for 2016 on February 19, 2016.
Table 2 listing the individual programs in order of their due date can be
found here.
AEGIS-X Deep Survey Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (19 Feb 2016)
This catalog containing the properties of 937 X-ray sources (and
their multiwavelength counterparts) found in deep Chandra imaging of
the central region of the Extended Groth Strip (from Nandra
et al. 2015, ApJS, 220, 10) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Astro-H Launch Successfully Launched! (17 Feb 2016)
The JAXA X-ray astronomy satellite Astro-H has been successfully
launched today (Feb
17) at 3:45am, EST from the Tahegashima Space Center in Japan. This mission
(which has a significant contribution from NASA) has been renamed
Hitomi, the Japanese word for "eye" or more specifically
the "pupil" (of the eye).
Suzaku CALDB updated (15 Feb 2016)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20160204) ...
Gravitational waves detected 100 years after Einstein's prediction (12 Feb 2016)
For the first time, scientists have observed ripples in the fabric
of space-time called gravitational waves, arriving at Earth from a cataclysmic
event in the distant universe, namely the merger of two black holes to produce
a single, more massive spinning black hole. This finding
confirms a major prediction of Albert Einstein's 1915 general theory of
relativity and opens an unprecedented new window to the cosmos.
Scientists to Provide Update on the Search for Gravitational Waves (11 Feb 2016)
100 years after Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational
waves, the National Science Foundation gathers scientists from Caltech, MIT and
the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific
Collaboration to update the scientific community on their efforts to detect
them. The findings will be released at 10:30am today EST and are expected to be
revolutionary.
HEASoft 6.18 Released (10 Feb 2016)
Released February 6, 2016. This release features updates to the Swift/XRT software and compatibility of a new set of analysis software for the Astro-H mission pre-launch testing, and updates to other packages...
XMM-Newton SAS v15.0.0 Released (05 Feb 2016)
The latest release of the XMM-Newton Science Analysis Software.
Pictor A: Blast from Black Hole in a Galaxy Far, Far Away (02 Feb 2016)
To obtain images of the jet from the central super-massive black
hole in the active galaxy Pictor A, Hardcastle
et al. (2016, MNRAS, in press) used NASA's Chandra X-ray
Observatory at various times over 15 years. Chandra's X-ray data have been
combined with radio data from the Australia Telescope Compact Array to allow
a detailed study of the spatial, temporal and spectral properties of the AGN, jet, hotspot and lobes.
Swift CALDB Data updated (31 Jan 2016)
A new makefilter parameter file for the Swift XRT has been added to the Swift XRT Caldb (update version 20160121) ...
INTEGRAL X-Rays Earth's Aurora (26 Jan 2016)
Normally busy with observing high-energy black holes, supernovae
and neutron stars, ESA's INTEGRAL space observatory recently had the chance to
look back at our own planet's aurora. INTEGRAL detected high-energy auroral
X-rays on 10 November 2015 as it turned to Earth, although it was looking for
something else at the time, namely the diffuse cosmic X-ray background (CXB).
On this occasion, the X-rays from Earth's aurora drowned out the CXB, providing
exciting serendipitous science.
LISA Pathfinder Arrives at its "Worksite", the Sun-Earth L1 Point (22 Jan 2016)
After a six-week journey, LISA Pathfinder (LPF) arrived at its
destination today, an orbit around the Sun-Earth first libration point (L1),
where it will soon start testing technologies crucial for exploring the
gravitational Universe. LPF will test the key elements that could be used by
a future mission to detect gravitational waves.
Swift CALDB Data updated (20 Jan 2016)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (update version 20160113) ...
Lists of Swift Cycle 12 Recommended Targets and Proposals Are Now Available (19 Jan 2016)
The lists of Swift Cycle 12 Guest Investigator Program
recommended targets and proposals have been posted.
CCFits updated (19 Jan 2016)
CCFITS was updated to version 2.5 on January 19, 2016 ...
Crafoord Prize in Astronomy 2016 Award Winners (15 Jan 2016)
Roger Blandford and Roy Kerr have been awarded the 2016 Crafoord
Prize in Astronomy for fundamental work concerning rotating black holes
and their astrophysical consequences. The press release reads, in part:
"Black holes are the origin of the universe's most powerful light...
Roger Blandford's theoretical work deals with the violent processes behind this
strong radiation. Roy Kerr created one of the most important tools in modern
astrophysics and cosmology early in his career, when he discovered a
mathematical description of rotating black holes..."
AllWISE Catalog of Mid-Infrared AGNs (13 Jan 2016)
This catalog containing an all-sky sample of ~1.4 million active
galactic nuclei (AGNs) meeting a two-color infrared photometric selection
criterion applied to sources from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
final catalog release (from Secrest
et al. 2015, ApJS, 221, 12) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Fermi Cycle 9 GI Proposal Submission Deadline is January 22nd (07 Jan 2016)
The high-energy community is reminded that proposals to the Fermi
Cycle-9 Guest Investigator Program should be submitted through the
HEASARC's ARK/RPS online facility by
16:30 EST on January 22, 2016. For additional details and instructions on how
to propose, please refer to information on the above web site and to the Fermi
appendix (D.6) to the 2015 ROSES NRA.
NASA News: Andromeda Galaxy Scanned with High-Energy X-ray Vision by NuSTAR (05 Jan 2016)
NuSTAR has captured the best high-energy X-ray view yet of a
portion of our nearest large, neighboring galaxy, Andromeda (M 31). The space
mission has observed 40 "X-ray binaries" -- intense sources of X-rays comprised
of a black hole or neutron star feeding off a stellar companion. Daniel Wik of
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center presented these results at the 227th meeting
of American Astronomical Society in Kissimmee, Florida
RXTE's 20th Birthday in Orbit (29 Dec 2015)
Happy birthday to NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE).
RXTE was launched 20 years ago on
December 30, 1995, made thousands of observations of X-ray sources (leading to
about 2,900 refereed publications to date), and was decommissioned on January 5,
2012 (spacecraft reentry is expected in 2016). Explore the science highlights
of RXTE
here.
Viewing tool updated (29 Dec 2015)
Swift's orbital pole constraints have been updated in the
Viewing tool. The revised coefficients extrapolate the trend for the
next year.
Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) Launches! (17 Dec 2015)
China's DAMPE
satellite (now renamed Wukong) lifted off earlier today on a Long March 2-D
rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, on its way to a 500-km
altitude sun-synchronous orbit. During Wukong's 3-year mission it
will detect high-energy (5 GeV - 10 TeV) gamma rays and electrons as well as
cosmic ray protons and heavy ions so as to search for possible dark matter
signatures. Congratulations to the Wukong team!
Chandra CALDB 4.7.0 installed at the HEASARC (16 Dec 2015)
CalDB 4.7.0 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.7.0 was released on December 15, 2015...
XMM-Newton XXL Survey (15 Dec 2015)
Astronomy and Astrophysics, ESA and ESO have issued a joint press release announcing the A and A special feature on "The XXL Survey: First Results" that includes 13 papers based on XMM-Newton data.
NICER Passes Pre-Environmental Review (14 Dec 2015)
NICER has cleared another major milestone review, and the
nearly-complete flight payload is poised to begin environmental
(electromagnetic, vibration, thermal, etc.) testing. Delivery
to NASA's Kennedy Space Center is anticipated in June 2016 for the
planned August launch.
INTEGRAL OSA 10.2 Released (10 Dec 2015)
The ISDC has released INTEGRAL Offline Scientific Analysis
Software (OSA) version 10.2. The main improvements of version 10.2 over
version 10.1 are updated instrument calibrations. The new software is
available for download from the ISDC and the
HEASARC.
XMM-Newton AO-15 Budget Information (07 Dec 2015)
Any XMM specific GO grant program for AO-15 is dependent on the results of the 2016 Senior Review, expected in late spring 2016. Any eligible PIs will be notified subsequently about grant proposal details.
XMM-Newton AO-15 Results Released (04 Dec 2015)
The list of XMM-Newton observing proposals accepted by the AO-15 Observing Time Allocation Committee is now available.
NuSTAR Guest Observer Cycle 2 Deadline Is Near (03 Dec 2015)
The deadline for NuSTAR Cycle 2 GO proposals is
imminent: proposals are due no later than
4:30 pm EST on December 11th.
The Million Quasars Catalog (03 Dec 2015)
The latest version (v4.6, 30 November 2015) of the
Million Quasars
(MILLIQUAS) Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2015)
containing more than one
million (1,392,544 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
LISA Pathfinder Mission Launches! (03 Dec 2015)
ESA's LISA Pathfinder lifted off earlier today on a Vega rocket
from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on its way to the L1 point
where it will demonstrate technology for observing gravitational waves from
space. Congratulations to the LPF team for a great start to this mission!
The 500-Myr-old Open Cluster M 37 Chandra X-Ray Source Catalog (02 Dec 2015)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties and optical counterpart
information for 774 sources detected by Chandra in 5 observations totalling
440.5 ks towards M 37 (NGC 2099) (from Nunez
et al. 2015, ApJ, 809, 161) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
NICER Manifested on SpaceX-11 ISS Resupply Flight (01 Dec 2015)
Previously scheduled for a December 2016 launch on SpaceX-12,
NICER will now fly to the International Space Station with two other payloads
on SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services (CRS)-11, in the Dragon vehicle's
unpressurized Trunk. Launch is planned for no earlier than 15 August
2016, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
XSPEC 12.9.0h Released (24 Nov 2015)
Patch 12.9.0h, released November 19, restores the ability to read in XFLT keywords whose values are numbers encoded as strings.
Swift CALDB Data updated (16 Nov 2015)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (update version 20151105) ...
Fermi Finds Hints of Gamma-ray Cycle in the Active Galaxy PG 1553+113 (15 Nov 2015)
Astronomers using data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
have detected hints of periodic changes in the brightness of a so-called
"active" galaxy, whose emissions are powered by a supersized black hole. If
the 2.18 year gamma-ray period is confirmed, the discovery would mark the
first years-long cyclic gamma-ray
emission ever detected from any galaxy, which could provide new insights into
physical processes near the black hole (see Ackermann
et al. 2015, ApJL, 813, L41 for more details).
Fermi Has Detected an extremely bright gamma-ray pulsar in the Large Magellanic Cloud (13 Nov 2015)
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope Large Area Telescope (LAT)
Collaboration has detected pulsed gamma-ray emission from a previously known
X-ray pulsar in the LMC, PSR J0540-6919 (2015,
Science, 350, 801). This object is the first gamma-ray
pulsar detected in another galaxy and, at 20 times more luminous in gamma-rays
than the Crab pulsar, the brightest yet observed in this energy band.
NASA's Swift Spots its Thousandth Gamma-ray Burst (12 Nov 2015)
The Swift spacecraft has detected its 1,000th gamma-ray burst
(GRB). GRBs are the most powerful explosions in the universe, typically
associated with the collapse of a massive star and the birth of a black hole.
"Detecting GRBs is Swift's bread and butter, and we're now at 1,000 and
counting," said Neil Gehrels, the Swift principal investigator at NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center. "The spacecraft remains in great shape after
nearly 11 years in space, and we expect to see many more GRBs to come."
XSPEC 12.9.0f,g Released (10 Nov 2015)
Patch 12.9.0f fixes a problem with the installation of the NEI v2 files. Patch 12.9.0g fixes a problem with the interpretation of levels in plot contour.
Swift and NuSTAR Observe a Major Flare of the Supermassive Black Hole in Markarian 335 (10 Nov 2015)
The baffling and strange behaviors of black holes have become
somewhat less mysterious recently, thanks to observations by NASA's Swift
and NuSTAR observatories which caught the supermassive black hole (SMBH) in
Mrk 335 in the midst of a giant eruption of X-ray light. These observations
(discussed in Wilkins
et al. 2015, MNRAS, 454, 4440) help address an ongoing
puzzle: How do SMBHs flare?
Sesame (VizieR) name resolver support added to HEASARC tools (28 Oct 2015)
Support for resolving the names of astronomical objects
according to
VizieR using the
Sesame
name resolver service has been added to the HEASARC's
Coordinate Converter,
Viewing,
nH,
X-Ray Background, and the
High
Energy Source Finder tools, as well as
ARK/RPS,
Browse, and
Argus.
This feature is particularly useful in resolving Sloan Digital Sky Survey
(SDSS) object names, for example.
VLA Gould's Belt Survey Serpens Region Source Catalog (27 Oct 2015)
This catalog listing the radio properties and counterpart
information for 146 sources detected by the JVLA at 4.5 and/or 7.5 GHz
in deep (~17 microJy) radio continuum observations of the Serpens molecular
cloud, the Serpens south cluster, and the W40 regiona (from Ortiz-Leon
et al. 2015, ApJ, 805, 9) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Supermassive Black Hole Caught 'Feasting' on a Star (21 Oct 2015)
Using high-resolution XMM-Newton and Chandra data, astronomers
have detected the last 'cry' from a star that passed too close to
the central black hole of its host galaxy, PGC 043234, and is being destroyed
and 'swallowed', a phenomenon known as a tidal disruption event. See Miller et al. (2015, Nature, 526, 542) for the
gruesome details.
XSPEC 12.9.0e Released (18 Oct 2015)
Patch 12.9.0e fixes an issue data and back commands and OGIP type-II spectrum files.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (17 Oct 2015)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on October 17, 2015 (CALDB version 20151008). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 52, valid through October 8, 2015.
The X-ray View of Black Hole Activity in the Local Universe (13 Oct 2015)
The goal of this conference, to be held in Zurich, Switzerland
from Feb 17-19, 2016, is to present and discuss (via invited and contributed
talks) the latest results of space-based X-ray missions (e.g., NuSTAR, Swift,
MAXI) on nearby supermassive black-hole growth. The deadline for abstract
submission is fairly soon (Nov 6, 2015).
XMM-Newton 15th Announcement of Opportunity (13 Oct 2015)
ESA received 431 valid proposals, requesting 81 Ms of
science time, for this 1-year long AO (which closed on October 9th), with 14.5
Ms of observing time available for distribution. The
over-subscription factor is 5.6.
A total of 47 proposals for Large Programs were received, while
Triggered/ToO observations were requested in 58 proposals. For the
joint programs, 22 requested time for
the XMM-HST program, 10 for the XMM-SWIFT program, 6 for the
XMM-VLT program, 5 for the XMM-Chandra program, and 43 for the
XMM-NuSTAR program.
Updated Planck Sunyaev Zel'dovich PSZ1 Catalog (09 Oct 2015)
The updated version of the all-sky Planck catalog of 1,227
clusters and cluster candidates (PSZ1) derived from Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ)
effect detections using the first 15.5 months of Planck satellite observations
from
Planck
Collaboration 2015, A&A, 581, A14 is now available
in Browse and Xamin.
XMM-Newton AO-15 Solicitation Closed (09 Oct 2015)
XMM-Newton Fourteenth Announcement of Opportunity Closed.
Viewing tool updated (07 Oct 2015)
Support for NuSTAR has been added to the HEASARC's Viewing
tool, and the Suzaku option has been removed due to its
retirement.
Suzaku CALDB updated (07 Oct 2015)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20151005) ...
Milky Way Star Clusters (MWSC) Catalog (01 Oct 2015)
This catalog listing the properties of the 3,000+ open clusters
in the Galaxy has been updated to include 63 newly discovered clusters from
Scholz et al. 2015, A&A, 581, A39.
The new version of MWSC is now available in Browse and Xamin.
Swift Cycle 12 GI Program (29 Sep 2015)
NASA received 185 proposals, requesting a total observing time of
15.8 Ms and $6.0M in funds for 1,555 targets. Considering PIs and Co-Is, more
than 600 individual scientists responded to the Swift Cycle 12 call. The Swift
Cycle 12 Peer Review will be held in December to evaluate the merits of
submitted proposals. The results of the Peer Review will be posted in late
December 2015.
Astrosat, India's First Astronomy Satellite Launched into Space (28 Sep 2015)
Astrosat, an
Indian multi-wavelength observatory including 1 ultraviolet and 4 X-ray
instruments, was successfully launched into space on a Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle today (Sep 28) at 04:30 GMT. Congratulations to all of our
Indian colleagues and their international collaborators!
Sgr A*, Milky Way's Super-Massive Black Hole, Shows Signs of Increased Chatter (28 Sep 2015)
3 orbiting X-ray space telescopes (Swift, Chandra and
XMM-Newton) have detected an increased rate of X-ray flaring from Sgr A*, the
usually quiet giant black hole at the center of our galaxy, in the last year
compared to the previous 14 years of long-term monitoring. In a recently
accepted paper, Ponti
et al. (2015, MNRAS, in press) discuss whether this is
normal behavior that was unnoticed due to limited monitoring, or if these
flares were triggered by the recent close passage of the mysterious, dusty
object "G2".
Reminder: The Deadline for Swift Cycle 12 proposals is Now Closed (28 Sep 2015)
Chandra CALDB 4.6.9 installed at the HEASARC (27 Sep 2015)
CalDB 4.6.9 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.6.8 was released on September 23, 2015. Note that this release requires CIAO 4.3 or higher...
Swift CALDB Data updated (25 Sep 2015)
A new Swift clock correction file has been added to the Swift SC Caldb (update version 20150911) ...
NGC 55 Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (25 Sep 2015)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties of 154 highly
significant X-ray sources detected by Chandra in archival ACIS-I observations
of the nearby SB(s)m galaxy NGC 55 (from Binder
et al. 2015, AJ, 150, 94), as well as the similar catalogs
of X-ray sources from NGC 2403 and NGC 4214 from the same reference,
are now available in
Browse and Xamin.
Second Catalog of Hard Fermi-LAT Sources (2FHL) (23 Sep 2015)
The 2FHL
Catalog of 360 sources detected above 50 GeV by the
Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) in 80 months of observations
(compiled using the newly delivered Fermi Pass 8 event-level analysis software)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
NGC 404 Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (22 Sep 2015)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties and
counterpart information for 74 highly significant X-ray
sources detected by Chandra in a 97-ks ACIS-S observation
of the nearby S0 Galaxy NGC 404 (from Binder
et al. 2013, ApJ, 763, 128) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
Catalog of 2XMM Flares Detected from Tycho-2 Stars (18 Sep 2015)
This catalog listing the 0.2-12.0 keV X-ray properties of 170
flares and other types of variabi1ity detected in 2XMM sources that are stars
in the Tycho-2 Catalog (from Pye
et al. 2015, A&A, 581, A28) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
7th NuSTAR Baseline Mission Public Data Release (17 Sep 2015)
334 new NuSTAR data sets (total exposure time of ~10 Msec)
from observations made as part of the
baseline mission phase from 2012 August 1st to 2015 April 30th
were released to the public NuSTAR archive on September 17th. These NuSTAR
data are accessible via the usual HEASARC archive interfaces, i.e.,
Xamin
and
Browse,
by querying the NuSTAR master catalog, 'numaster'. NuSTAR data can also be
accessed from the HEASARC FTP site.
NuSTAR Guest Observer (GO) Cycle 2 Solicitation Released (15 Sep 2015)
Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science for 2015
(ROSES-15) Amendment 26 (released on Sep 10, 2015) contains the revised
text and new due date for Appendix D.10 soliciting proposals to the NuSTAR
GO Cycle 2 opportunity. The new due date for proposal submission
is Dec 11, 2015. Proposals should be submitted via
the HEASARC's
ARK Remote Proposal System (RPS). For more information
about this AO, please
visit the
NuSTAR Proposal page
News Story: A Black Hole May Be "Hiding" In the Bright Globular Cluster 47 Tucanae (11 Sep 2015)
Miller-Jones et al. (2015, MNRAS, in press) may have
discovered the first black hole inside a globular cluster. Based on its X-ray
and radio properties as well as the the confirmed accretion signature in its
optical/ultraviolet spectrum, this object (the previously known X-ray source
X9) discovered inside the 47 Tuc cluster may be a quiescent stellar-mass black
hole.
M31 Chandra HRC X-Ray Source Catalog (10 Sep 2015)
This catalog listing the 0.1-10.0 keV X-ray properties and
proposed counterparts of 166 X-ray
sources detected by the Chandra High Resolution Camera in a 17-epoch survey
of M31 (from Williams
et al. 2004, ApJ, 609, 735) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
NGC 6791 Open Cluster Chandra X-Ray Source Catalog (09 Sep 2015)
This catalog listing the 0.3-7.0 keV properties of 86 X-ray
sources detected by Chandra in a 60-ks observation of the central (8 arcmin
radius) region of the 8-Gyr open cluster NGC 6791 (from van
den Berg et al. 2013, ApJ, 770, 98) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (08 Sep 2015)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on September 7, 2015 (CALDB version 20150904). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 51, valid through September 4, 2015.
Fv 5.4 released (01 Sep 2015)
Updated September 2015; bug fixes, more ...
XSPEC 12.9.0b,c,d Released (01 Sep 2015)
Patch 12.9.0b fixes an issue with the The (b)vvapec model' patch 12.9.0c fixes a subtle problem when defining linked parameters in models; and patch 12.9.0d fixes a problem in which the lmod command does not work if invoked from an xspec.rc file.
M108 (NGC 3556) Chandra Discrete X-Ray Source Catalog (31 Aug 2015)
This catalog listing the 0.3-7.0 keV properties of 83 discrete
sources detected by Chandra in a 60-ks observation of the isolated edge-on
spiral galaxy M 108 (from Wang
et al. 2003, ApJ, 598, 969) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
Scientific Mission of Suzaku Declared Complete (28 Aug 2015)
JAXA has announced that it is abandoning its heroic effort to recover Suzaku, and declared the mission complete.
NGC 1068 Chandra Compact X-Ray Source Catalog (28 Aug 2015)
This catalog listing the 0.4-5.0 keV properties of 84 compact
sources detected by Chandra in a 50-ks observation of the Seyfert 2 galaxy
NGC 1068 (from Smith
& Wilson 2003, ApJ, 591, 138) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
XMM-Newton AO-15 Proposals are Solicited: Due by October 9th (25 Aug 2015)
The XMM-Newton Call for
Observing Proposals, soliciting Guest Observing proposals for the
15th cycle (AO-15) observing program for ESA's X-ray Multi-Mirror
Mission (XMM-Newton), has been released by ESA today. This Announcement of
Opportunity solicits proposals
for observations to be performed during a 12-month period commencing
in May 2016.
XMM-Newton AO-15 Solicitation Released (25 Aug 2015)
XMM-Newton observing proposals are solicited in response to the Fourteenth Announcement of Opportunity.
NuSTAR COSMOS Field X-Ray Source Catalog (24 Aug 2015)
This catalog listing the 3-24 keV properties of 91 sources
detected by NuSTAR in 121 observations totalling 3 Ms in a 1.7 sq. deg. region
of the COSMOS field, 87 of which have Chandra and/or XMM counterparts (from
Civano
et al. 2015, ApJ, 808, 185) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
X-Raying the Tumultuous Heart of Our Galaxy (24 Aug 2015)
A new image of powerful remnants of dead stars and their mighty
action on the surrounding gas from ESA's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory reveals
some of the most intense processes taking place in the central 1.5 degrees of
our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Inter alia, newly discovered extended features,
such as SNRs, superbubbles and X-ray filaments are reported in this new study
by Ponti
et al. (2015, MNRAS, 453, 172).
Sixth International Fermi Symposium Abstract and Regular Registration Deadline is Near (20 Aug 2015)
The 6th International Fermi Symposium will be held in
Washington, DC from Nov 9-13, 2015. This meeting will focus on the scientific
investigations and results enabled by Fermi, the mission and instrument
characteristics, future opportunities, and coordinated observations and
analyses. The registration and abstract submission deadline is Sep 14, while
the late registration deadline is Oct 30.
AKARI North Ecliptic Pole Deep Field Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (18 Aug 2015)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties of 457 sources detected
by Chandra in 300 ks of observations of the AKARI North Ecliptic Pole (NEP)
deep field, of which 377 objects fall in the deep Subaru imaging region (from
Krumpe
et al. 2015, MNRAS, 446, 911) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Dr. Stephen S. Murray, High-Energy Astrophysicist, Dies at Age 70 (18 Aug 2015)
Prominent astrophysicist Stephen (Steve) S. Murray died on Monday,
August 10, 2015. Dr. Murray is widely recognized for advancing the field of
high-energy astrophysics through the development of instruments and hardware
as well as his research. During his long and distinguished career, he worked
on four major high-energy missions, starting with Uhuru. He built instruments
for Einstein in the 1970s, ROSAT in the 1980s, and most recently for Chandra,
for which he was PI for the High-Resolution Camera.
PIMMS updated to Version 4.8 (18 Aug 2015)
Version 4.8 released; contains a revised pile-up formula for XMM-Newton EPIC instruments, and it also contains updated EPIC effective area curves and updated ASTRO-H HXI effective area curves....
NGC 3115 Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (18 Aug 2015)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties and source type
information for 482 sources detected by Chandra in 1.1 Ms of observations
of the nearby lenticular galaxy NGC 3115 (from Lin
et al. 2015, ApJ, 808, 19) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Oxymoronic Black Hole in Center of RGG 118 Provides Clues to Growth (12 Aug 2015)
Baldassare et al. (2015
ApJL, in press) used Chandra and the
6.5-meter Clay Telescope in Chile to identify the smallest supermassive black
hole (SMBH) ever detected in the center of a galaxy. This object
is about 50,000 solar masses, or less than half the mass of the previous
smallest-known SMBH. It lies in the center of a dwarf disk galaxy, called RGG
118, and could provide clues as to how larger black holes formed along with
their host galaxies 13 billion years or more in the past.
Physics of the Cosmos Program Analysis Group (PhysPAG) News (11 Aug 2015)
On Friday August 7th, at the IAU General Assembly, the PhysPAG,
Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG), and Cosmic Origins
(COPAG) leaders gave summaries of their anticipated reports to Dr. Paul Hertz,
the Director of NASA's Astrophysics Division, in response to his decadal
flagship mission charge. The presentations are available at the above link.
XSPEC 12.9.0a Released (06 Aug 2015)
Fixes a bug in the calculation of agauss/zagauss models.
Swift BAT 100-Month Supergiant Fast X-Ray Transient (SFXT) Catalog (05 Aug 2015)
This catalog listing over a thousand Burst Alert Telescope (BAT)
flares detected from 11 SFXTs in the time range from 2005 February 12 to 2013
May 31 (from Romano
et al. 2014, A&A, 562, A2) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Australia Telescope Chandra Deep Field-South and SDSS Stripe 82 20-GHz Source Catalog (05 Aug 2015)
This catalog listing the 20-GHz and 1.4-GHz radio flux densites of
85 sources detected by the AT in a total area of 5 sq. deg. in the CDF-S and
in Stripe 82 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (from Franzen
et al. 2014, MNRAS, 439, 1212) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Swift CALDB Data updated (03 Aug 2015)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the XRT (update version 20150721) and the UVOTA (update version 20150717)...
Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) Newsletter (03 Aug 2015)
The PCOS Program Office is pleased to
announce that the August 2015 PCOS Newsletter is now available, including
updates on LISA Pathfinder (LPF), Athena and Euclid, and a message from
Paul Hertz, the Director of NASA's Astrophysics Division.
NASA Selects Proposals to Study Neutron Stars, Black Holes and More (31 Jul 2015)
NASA has selected five proposals submitted to its Explorers
Program to conduct focused scientific investigations and develop instruments
that fill the scientific gaps between the agency's larger missions. The
selected proposals, three Astrophysics Small Explorer missions (PRAXyS, IXPE and SPHEREX)
and two Explorer Missions of Opportunity, will study polarized X-ray emissions
from neutron star-black hole binary systems, the exponential expansion of
space in the early universe, galaxies in the early universe, and star
formation in our Milky Way galaxy.
HEASoft 6.17, XSPEC 12.9.0 released (30 Jul 2015)
Released July 29, 2015; primarily driven by updates to the NuSTAR and Swift/XRT software, but also includes updates to other packages which have been revised to mirror the current development versions in use at
the HEASARC. XSPEC version 12.9.0 also released as part of HEASoft 6.17....
VLA Gould's Belt Survey Taurus-Auriga Complex Source Catalog (29 Jul 2015)
This catalog listing the radio properties and counterpart
information for 610 sources detected by the JVLA at 4.5 and/or 7.5 GHz
in large-scale (127 different target fields), deep (~18-25 microJy)
observations of the Taurus-Auriga complex (from Dzib
et al. 2015, ApJ, 801, 91) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Pulsar Punches Hole In Stellar Disk (28 Jul 2015)
The double star system PSR B1259-63/LS 2883 contains a star about
30 times as massive as the Sun and a pulsar. According to Pavlov
et al. (2015, ApJ, 806, 192) the fast-moving pulsar in this
binary appears to have punched a hole in a disk of gas around its companion
star and launched a fragment of the disk outward at an average speed of 7
per cent of the speed of light. Chandra is tracking
this cosmic clump, which appears to be picking up speed as it moves out.
VLA Gould's Belt Survey Orion Complex Source Catalog (17 Jul 2015)
This catalog listing the radio properties and counterpart
information for 374 sources detected by the JVLA at 4.5 and/or 7.5 GHz
in large-scale (2.26 sq. deg.), deep (~60 microJy) observations of the
Orion Molecular Clouds A and B (from Kounkel
et al. 2014, ApJ, 790, 49) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
VLA Gould's Belt Survey Ophiuchus Complex Source Catalog (16 Jul 2015)
This catalog listing the radio properties and counterpart
information for 189 sources detected by the JVLA at 4.5 and/or 7.5 GHz
in large-scale (~2000 sq. arcmin), deep (~20 microJy) observations of the
Ophiuchus star-forming complex (from Dzib
et al. 2013, ApJ, 775, 63) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Chandra Cycle 17 Accepted Proposals and Targets Lists Are Now Available (16 Jul 2015)
The Peer-Review recommended targets and proposals for Chandra
Cycle 17, including GTO and GO proposals, joint proposals with other
ground-based and/or satellite facilities, archive, theory, large and
multicycle proprosals, have now been publically released.
Deep XMM-Newton Survey of M33 X-Ray Source Catalog (15 Jul 2015)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties of
1,296 sources detected by the EPIC cameras in a deep 8-field XMM-Newton mosaic
of M33 covering the galaxy out to the D25 isophote down to a limiting X-ray
luminosity of 4 x 1034 erg/s at the distance of M 33
(from Williams
et al. 2015, ApJS, 218, 9) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
INTEGRAL AO-13 General Program Approved (13 Jul 2015)
The INTEGRAL AO-13 General Program, as recommended by
the Time Allocation Committee (TAC) and approved by ESA's Director of
Science and Robotic Exploration (Prof. Alvaro Gimenez), has been
released and the observers have been informed.
Swift CALDB Data updated (10 Jul 2015)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20150707)...
NASA News Feature: Fermi Sees Record Flare from a Black Hole in a Distant Galaxy (10 Jul 2015)
Five billion years ago, a great disturbance rocked a region near
the monster black hole at the center of the galaxy 3C 279. On June 14, the
pulse of high-energy light produced by this event finally arrived at Earth,
setting off detectors aboard Fermi and other satellites. Astronomers around
the world turned instruments toward the galaxy to observe this brief but
record-setting flare in greater detail.
NASA News Feature: Swift Reveals a Black Hole Bull's-eye Around V404 Cygni (09 Jul 2015)
What looks like a shooting target but is actually an image of
nested rings of X-ray light centered on an erupting black hole? On June 15,
Swift detected the start of a new outburst from the black-hole binary
system, V404 Cygni. Since then, astronomers around
the world have been monitoring the ongoing light show. On June 30, a team led
by Andrew Beardmore (U. Leicester) imaged the system using the
X-ray Telescope aboard Swift, revealing a series of concentric rings extending
about one-third the apparent size of a full moon.
New Evidence for a Precocious Black Hole in the Galaxy CID-947 (09 Jul 2015)
According to Trakhtenbrot
et al. (2015, Science, 349, 168) the super-massive black
hole (SMBH) in the otherwise normal, rather distant galaxy called CID-947
weighs a collossal 10% of its host galaxy's mass, whereas in today's local
universe, SMBHs typically only reach a mass of 0.2 - 0.5% of their host
galaxy's mass. This result obtained using the Keck 10-m telescope suggests
that, in the early universe, SMBHs could grow much efficiently than their host
galaxies.
Report of the Astrophysics Archives Programmatic Review, May 6-7, 2015 (09 Jul 2015)
NASA's Astrophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate
regularly requests comparative reviews of its Archival Data Centers
(HEASARC, MAST, IRSA, NEA, NED and ADS) with the
goal of maximizing the scientific return of these centers in the present
constrained funding environment. The report of the 2015 Programmatic Review
is available here.
Searing Sun As Seen in the Hard and Soft X-ray and UV Bands (08 Jul 2015)
The surface of the Sun is lit up in a bouquet of colors in
a new composite image containing data from NuSTAR, the Hinode X-Ray Telescope
(XRT) and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The high-energy X-rays seen by
NuSTAR are shown in blue in this image, green represents lower-energy X-rays
seen by the Hinode XRT, and yellow and red the UV light viewed by the SDO
instruments. Iain Hannah of the University of Glasgow presented this image on
July 8, at the UK RAS's National Astronomy Meeting in Wales.
NuSTAR Stares Deep into Hidden Lairs of Black Holes (06 Jul 2015)
Lansbury
et al. (2015, ApJ, in press) have used NuSTAR and its
hard X-ray capability to observe
nine galaxies where supermassive black holes (SMBHs) were thought to be
extremely active but largely obscured, at least in the soft X-ray band. Five of
these candidates were found to contain hidden SMBHs, feasting on surrounding
material. This study supports the theory that potentially millions
of SMBHs exist in the universe hidden from view at most wavelengths.
Swift AGN & Cluster Survey (SACS) Total-Band (0.2-10 keV) Point
Source Catalog (06 Jul 2015)
This catalog of 22,563 Swift XRT point sources which were detected
in the total X-ray band (0.2-10 keV) in 125 sq. degrees of serendipitous fields
(from Dai et al. 2015, ApJS, 218, 8) is now available in
Browse and Xamin, along with the catalogs of
17,748 soft-band (0.5-2.0 keV) point sources,
10,060 hard-band (2-10 keV) point sources and
442 soft-band (0.5-2.0 keV) extended sources which were
presented in the same paper.
NICER Blanketeer Featured on CBSnews (06 Jul 2015)
Paula Cain, who makes the blanket which will protect NICER, was featured on CBSnews.com.
NICER Project Systems Engineer Featured on nasa.gov (06 Jul 2015)
Charles Baker, the Project Systems Engineer for NICER, was interviewed on nasa.gov.
NASA News Feature: Astronomers Predict Fireworks from A Rare Stellar Encounter in 2018 (04 Jul 2015)
Astronomers are gearing up for high-energy fireworks coming in
early 2018, when PSR J2032+4127, a stellar remnant the size of a city, 'meets'
its companion, MT91 213, one of the brightest stars in our galaxy. The cosmic
light show will occur when this pulsar discovered by Fermi reaches periastron
in its orbit about its massive companion.
Scientists plan a global campaign to watch the event, from radio wavelengths to
the highest-energy gamma rays detectable.
Chandra CALDB 4.6.8 installed at the HEASARC (02 Jul 2015)
CalDB 4.6.8 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.6.8 was released on July 1, 2015. Note that this release requires CIAO 4.3 or higher...
NASA News Feature: NASA Missions Monitor a Waking Black Hole (02 Jul 2015)
NASA's Swift satellite detected a rising tide of high-energy
X-rays from the constellation Cygnus on June 15, just before 2:32 p.m. EDT.
About 10 minutes later, the Japanese experiment on the ISS called the Monitor
of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) also picked up the flare. The outburst came from
V404 Cygni, a binary system located about 8,000 light-years away that contains
a black hole. Every couple of decades the black hole fires up in an outburst
of high-energy light, becoming an X-ray nova.
News Article: Pulsar's Unusual Behavior May Help Scientists Understand Their Fundamental Structure (30 Jun 2015)
Using data from Swift and RXTE, a team led by Frank Marshall of
NASA/GSFC observed that the pulsar B0540-69 radically changed the rate at
which its rotation rate slowed after 12 years of a steady decline. There is
not enough data yet to classify the pulsar as intermittent, but the article
notes that the behavior of this object may help solve the fundamental
questions about what is inside them and why they shine at all.
Press Release: NASA Simulation Suggests Black Holes May Make Ideal Dark Matter Labs (28 Jun 2015)
A new computer
simulation by Jeremy Schnittman of NASA/GSFC shows that
dark matter particles colliding in the extreme gravity of a black hole can
produce strong, potentially observable gamma rays. Detecting this emission
would provide a new tool for understanding both black holes and the nature
of dark matter, the elusive substance accounting for most of the mass of the
universe.
Stage-I Selections for the Fermi Cycle-8 GI Program Completed (27 Jun 2015)
The stage-I selections for the Fermi Cycle-8 Guest Investigator
Program have now been completed. The list is available here.
The selection letters and peer evaluations will be distributed in the near
future.
Fermi LAT Pass 8 data now available (25 Jun 2015)
Fermi LAT Pass 8 data is now available from the Fermi Science Support Center's LAT data servers. The Pass 8 LAT data includes a number of improvements over the reprocessed Pass 7 data. Improvements include a better PSF, improved energy measurement, and increased acceptance across the whole energy band. As of the Pass 8 release date (June 24, 2015), reprocessed Pass 7 data is no longer available from the LAT data servers.
Details can be found here.
Fermi Science Analysis Environment Updated for LAT Pass 8 Data (25 Jun 2015)
The FSSC is pleased to announce the availability of a new version of the Fermi Science Tools, v10r0p5, released on June 24, 2015. This version includes support for pass 8 processed data and must be used in order to analyze pass 8 data.
Details and software download can be found here.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (22 Jun 2015)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on June 22, 2015 (CALDB version 20150612). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 49 (good through June 12, 2015).
Australia Telescope Local Group Dwarf Spheroidals (dSphs) 2.1-GHz Components Catalog (19 Jun 2015)
This catalog of 1,834 radio source components detected by the
ATCA in the fields of 6 Local Group dSphs (Carina, Fornax, Sculptor, Bootes II,
Segue 2, and Hercules) from Regis
et al. (2015, MNRAS, 448, 3731) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
Recovery Effort for Suzaku After Communication Failure (19 Jun 2015)
Communication with Suzaku has become intermittent since June 1, preventing normal operations. Recovery effort continues.
Chandra Finds Evidence for Serial Black Hole Eruptions from the SMBH in NGC 5813 (18 Jun 2015)
The supermassive black hole at the center of
the galaxy group NGC 5813 has erupted multiple times over a period of 50
million years, according to a new study by Randall et al. (2015,
ApJ, 805. 112) which analyzed 650 ksec of Chandra data
accumulated in 9 pointings made between 2005 and 2011.
xTime tool updated (11 Jun 2015)
Support for the LIGO and GPS time system has been added to
xTime.
Fermi LAT CALDB update (11 Jun 2015)
The HEASARC CALDB for the Fermi LAT has been updated to version v10r0p5_20150509. This is the first version of the LAT caldb to include the instrument response functions for Pass 8 processed data...
NASA XMM-Newton Budget AO Released for AO-14 (05 Jun 2015)
Catalog of XMM Optical Monitor UV Sources in the Chandra Deep Field-South (03 Jun 2015)
The XMMOMCDFS Catalog listing the UV and optical properties of
1,173 sources detected in a 17 by 17 square arcminute region of the CDF-S by
the XMM-Newton OM (from Antonucci
et al. 2015, A&A, 574, A49) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
INTEGRAL 2015: The New High Energy Sky after a Decade of Discoveries (02 Jun 2015)
The INTEGRAL 2015 workshop will be held 5-9 October 2015 in Rome. It
will focus on providing an up-to-date view of the high-energy sky.
New Constraints on Quantum Gravity from X-ray and Gamma-Ray Observations (01 Jun 2015)
A team of scientists has used X-ray and gamma-ray observations of
some of the most distant objects in the Universe to better understand the
nature of space and time. Their results set limits on the quantum nature, or
"foaminess" of spacetime at extremely tiny scales 1000 times smaller than the
nucleus of a hydrogen atom. Perlman et al. (2015,
ApJ, 805. 10)) reached this conclusion from observations
of very distant quasars in the soft X-ray (Chandra) and gamma-ray (Fermi
and VERITAS) bands.
Catalog of XMM Sources in the Herschel TeraHertz Large Array Survey (H-ATLAS) Field (29 May 2015)
The XMMATLAS Catalog listing the X-ray properties of 2,050 sources
detected in 7.1 square degrees in the H-ATLAS field by XMM-Newton (from Ranalli
et al. 2015, A&A, 577, A121) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (28 May 2015)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on May 28, 2015 (CALDB version 20150526). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file.
Fermi 2FGL Unassociated Gamma-Ray Sources Possible Radio Identifications Catalog (27 May 2015)
This catalog of 865 radio point sources detected by the VLA and/or
the ATCA at 5 - 9 GHz within the 3-sigma localizations of 460 "unassociated"
Fermi LAT (2FGL) gamma-ray sources (from Schinzel
et al. 2015, ApJS, 217, 4) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Swift Discovers a Strong Ultraviolet Pulse from a Newborn Type Ia Supernova (23 May 2015)
New observations made by Swift have provided an
unprecedented clue to the origin of some Type Ia supernova explosions. The
UVOT telescope aboard Swift started observing the Type Ia SN iPTF14atg only 4
days after the explosion, and unveiled a bright pulse of UV emission. This is
consistent with theoretical expectations of emission from the collision of
material ejected from the explosion of the white dwarf with the
companion star from which it has been accreting matter, according to
Cao
et al. (2015, Nature, 521, 328).
The Faint Images of the Radio Sky at 20-cm (FIRST) Catalog (19 May 2015)
The latest/last (2014 December 17) version of the FIRST Catalog
containing 946,432 20-cm sources detected by the VLA in 10,575 square degrees
of the sky (from Helfand
et al. 2015, ApJ, 801, 26) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
The Million Quasars Catalog (18 May 2015)
The latest version (v4.5, 10 May 2015) of the
MILLIQUAS
Catalog (Eric Flesch 2009 - 2015) containing more than one
million (1,153,110 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XSPEC 12.8.2p Released (15 May 2015)
Fixes an error in the calculation of derivatives for the cstat with background and pgstat statistics
Very Large Array M31 1.4-GHz Source Catalog (14 May 2015)
This catalog (from Galvin
& Filipovic 2014, SerAJ, 189, 15) of 1,131 detections
of 916 discrete 1.4-GHz sources in archived VLA observations covering the field
of M31 is now available in Browse and Xamin.
XMM-Newton Optical Monitor (OM) Serendipitous UV Survey Source Catalog, v2.1 (14 May 2015)
The updated version 2.1 of the XMM OM-SUSS Catalog listing the
optical and UV properties of 6,246,432 source detections made by the XMM-Newton
OM (v1.0 is described in Page et al. 2012, MNRAS, 426, 903) is now available
in Browse and
Xamin, as is the associated list of 7,170 XMM observations from 2000 to 2013 in which these
sources were found.
Star Explosion is Lopsided, Finds NASA's NuSTAR (08 May 2015)
The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array spacecraft has found
evidence that the massive star which created supernova SN 1987A exploded in a
lopsided fashion, sending ejected material flying in one direction and the
core of the star in the other: the 44 Ti gamma-ray
emission lines produced in the innermost ejecta are narrow and redshifted by
700 km/s, according to Boggs et
al. (2015, Science, 348, 670).
Atacama Cosmology Telescope 2008 Southern Survey 148/218 GHz Source Catalog (07 May 2015)
This catalog (from Marsden
et al. 2014, MNRAS, 439, 1556) of 191
sources detected by the ACT at 148 and/or 218 GHz is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Fermi LAT Sources Refined Associations Catalog (06 May 2015)
This catalog of 2,219 unique gamma-ray sources detected by the
Fermi Large Area Telescope, a
refined and merged list of all of the associations of 1FGL plus 2FGL (from
Massaro et al. 2015, ApJS, 217, 2), is now available
in Browse and Xamin.
Swift CALDB Data updated (01 May 2015)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20150428)...
ROSAT All-Sky Survey Two Selected Fields X-Ray Source Catalog (01 May 2015)
This catalog of 370 X-ray point sources above a maximum
likelihood threshold of 8 detected by the PSPC in two 10 by 10
degree fields (in Com and Sge) during the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (from Greiner
& Richter 2015, A&A, 575, A42) is now available in
Browse and Xamin, along with the
catalog of 722 possible optical counterparts of these
X-ray sources which was presented in the same paper.
Chandra Suggests Black Holes Gorging at Excessive Rates (30 Apr 2015)
A group of unusual giant black holes may be consuming excessive
amounts of matter, according to a new study using Chandra. This finding (by
Luo et al. 2015,
ApJ, in press) that
some quasars are even more adept at devouring material than previously realized
may help astronomers understand how the largest black holes were able to grow
so rapidly in the early Universe.
NuSTAR Captures Possible 'Screams' from Zombie Stars (29 Apr 2015)
Peering into the heart of the Milky Way galaxy, NuSTAR has spotted
a mysterious glow of hard X-rays that, according to Perez
et al. (2015, Nature, 520, 646), could be the "howls" of dead stars
as they feed on stellar companions. This hard X-ray emission, sharply peaked on
the Galactic Center, "could indicate a significantly more massive population of
accreting white dwarfs, large populations of LMXBs or MSPs, or particle
outflows interacting with the surrounding radiation field, dense molecular
material or magnetic fields."
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalog (Version 3XMM-DR5) (28 Apr 2015)
The updated version of this catalog (from Rosen et al. 2015,
A&A, submitted) containing 565,962
X-ray source detections drawn from a total of 7,781 XMM-Newton EPIC
observations made between 2000 Feb 3 and 2013 Dec 20 is now
available in Browse and
Xamin.
XMM-Newton Serendipitous Source Catalogue: 3XMM-DR5 Released (28 Apr 2015)
Latest release of the XMM SSC: 3XMM-DR5
Suzaku Cycle 10 Target List Available (21 Apr 2015)
The list of accepted Suzaku AO-10 targets is now available.
Mysterious 'Cold Spot': Fingerprint of Largest Structure in the Universe? (20 Apr 2015)
Szapudi
et al. (2015, MNRAS, 450, 288) have used the WISE-2MASS
IR galaxy catalogue matched with Pan-STARRS1 (PS1) galaxies to search for a
supervoid in the direction of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) cold spot.
Their results are indeed consistent with such a supervoid as a plausible
cause for the WMAP/Planck cold spot
Fermi LAT High-Energy (1FHL) Source Catalog (17 Apr 2015)
This catalog of 514 gamma-ray sources detected at energies
above 10 GeV by the Fermi
Large Area Telescope in its first 3 years of operations (taken from Ackermann
et al. 2013, ApJS, 209, 34) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Swift Data Reprocessing (17 Apr 2015)
The Swift Data Center is now reprocessing the Swift data for the
entire mission in chronological order using the current version of the Swift
Data Center pipeline (v. 3.16.08). All the data for 2005 have been reprocessed
and delivered to the HEASARC. The archives in Italy and UK are currently
populating their archives with the new data. Currently the reprocessing rate
is about 3 months per month.
Astronomers discover two classes of Type Ia Supernovae (14 Apr 2015)
Milne
et al. 2015, ApJ, 803, 20 have found that type Ia
supernovae commonly used to measure distances in the universe fall into
distinct populations not recognized before. The data collected with
Swift were crucial because the
differences between the populations are subtle in visible light, but became
obvious only through Swift's dedicated follow-up observations in the
ultraviolet with UVOT.
XSPEC 12.8.2n Released (13 Apr 2015)
Updated April 8, 2015. Corrections for the feld abundance table values for the elements Cl, Cr, Mn, and Co.
XSPEC 12.8.2m Released (02 Apr 2015)
Updated April 2, 2015. Fixes an error in the Goodman-Weare option for MCMC which caused confidence regions to be about 70% of their correct size, and performance improvements.
Updated IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer Observation Log (02 Apr 2015)
The latest version of the IRAM PdBI observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2015, IRAM Newsletters) containing 18,443 observations
completed through September 30, 2013 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
6th NuSTAR Public Data Release (01 Apr 2015)
679 new NuSTAR data sets from the first 24 months of observations
were released to the public NuSTAR archive on March 31st. NuSTAR data are
accessible via the usual HEASARC archive interfaces, i.e.,
Xamin
and
Browse,
by querying the NuSTAR master table (numaster). NuSTAR data can also be
accessed from the HEASARC FTP site.
Swift CALDB Data updated (31 Mar 2015)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20150302)...
Suzaku CALDB updated (31 Mar 2015)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20150312) ...
Swift X-Ray Telescope Cluster Survey (SWXCS) Catalog (27 Mar 2015)
This catalog of 263 X-ray group and cluster candidates detected
by the Swift XRT in ~ 3,000 high Galactic latitude fields in the period from
2005 to 2012 (from Liu
et al. 2015, ApJS, 216, 28) is now available in Browse and
Xamin, along with the
catalog of 383 possible optical, other X-ray and/or S-Z
counterparts of these sources which was presented in the same paper.
Hubble, Chandra Find Clues that May Help Identify Dark Matter (27 Mar 2015)
Using observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra
X-ray Observatory, astronomers have found that dark matter does not slow down
when colliding with itself, meaning it interacts with itself less than
previously thought. Harvey et al. (2015,
Science, 347, 1462) argue that this finding narrows down
the options for what this mysterious substance might be.
Proceedings of the 10th INTEGRAL Workshop Available Online (26 Mar 2015)
The Proceedings of the 10th INTEGRAL Workshop: A Synergistic View
of the High-Energy Sky held 15-19 September 2014 in Annapolis, MD, is now
available online via Proceedings of Science.
Suzaku, Herschel Link a Black-hole 'Wind' to a Galactic Gush of Star-forming Gas (26 Mar 2015)
By combining observations in X-rays by Suzaku with infrared
observations by Herschel, Tombesi
et al. (2015, Nature, 519, 436) have connected a fierce
"wind" produced near the monster black hole in the galaxy IRAS F11119+3257 to
an outward torrent of cold gas a thousand light-years across. The finding
validates a long-suspected feedback mechanism enabling a supermassive black
hole to influence the evolution of its host galaxy.
South Polar Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SPT-SZ) Survey Catalog (24 Mar 2015)
This catalog of 677 galaxy cluster candidates detected at high
(>= 4.5) significance in the 2500 square degree SPT-SZ survey (taken from
Bleem
et al. 2015, ApJS, 216, 27) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Near-UV Detected Bright Early-M Dwarf Stars Catalog (23 Mar 2015)
This catalog of ~800 nearby early-M dwarf stars with GALEX NUV
fluxes signficantly in excess of their expected basal levels (taken from Ansdell
et al. 2015, ApJ, 798, 41) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (20 Mar 2015)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on March 20, 2015 (CALDB version 20150316). This updates the fpm gain and the NuSTAR clock correction file.
GK Persei: "Mini Supernova" Explosion Could Have Big Impact (20 Mar 2015)
Chandra observations of the remnant of the 1901 classical nova
GK Per may provide clues to the dynamics of other, much larger stellar
eruptions.
Takei et al. (2015,
ApJ, 801, 92) analyzed Chandra observations made in 2000
and 2013 and find that the X-ray luminosity of the remnant has decreased by
about 40% over the 13 years whereas the temperature has essentially remained
constant, at about 1 MK, suggesting the shock wave is expanding into a very
low density ISM.
XSPEC 12.8.2l Released (18 Mar 2015)
Updated March 12, 2015. When a new minimum is found and accepted during a steppar run, the new best-fit information is now propagated to the contour plot.
Norma Arm Region Chandra Survey (NARCS) Point & Extended Source Catalog (16 Mar 2015)
The NARCS catalog of 1,415 X-ray sources in a 2 by 0.8 degrees region
in the direction of the Norma spiral arm (taken from Fornasini
et al. 2014, ApJ, 796, 105) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Aperture Photometry Light Curves for Fermi LAT 3FGL Catalog Sources (12 Mar 2015)
Aperture photometry light curves of all Fermi LAT 3FGL sources
with 30 day
time resolution, together with their power spectra, are now available. These
will normally be updated weekly. In addition, results of an automatic search
for flaring 3FGL sources are also provided with weekly updates here.
PPM-XL Bright M Dwarfs Catalog (11 Mar 2015)
This catalog of 8,479 M dwarfs brighter than a K-magnitude
of 9 selected out of the PPM-XL Catalog (taken from Frith
at al. 2013, MNRAS, 435, 2161) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
13th INTEGRAL Announcement of Opportunity (09 Mar 2015)
ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration (Prof.
Alvaro Gimenez) has released the 13th Announcement of Opportunity for
observing proposals with INTEGRAL. The deadline for proposal
submission is April 17, 2015. Additional information can be found on the
ESA INTEGRAL website
and on the "Proposals and Tools" page of the NASA INTEGRAL GOF.
Applications for 2015 Fermi Summer School Are Due Soon! (04 Mar 2015)
The deadline for applications
for the 2015 Fermi Summer School, which will run from May 26 through June 5,
2015, is March 13th.
NuSTAR Cycle 1 Results (03 Mar 2015)
The list of NuSTAR targets accepted by the Cycle 1 peer review is
now available, Cycle 1 observations will start to be routinely performed on
April 1, 2015. Written evaluations will be sent to all NuSTAR Cycle 1 PIs in
the next few weeks. As specified in the AO, U.S. PIs of proposals with
category A or B targets will be invited to submit phase-2 funding proposals.
Note that 0.5 Ms of NuSTAR observing time is also available through the
Chandra Cycle 17 CfP, due March 17.
Chandra CALDB 4.6.7 installed at the HEASARC (26 Feb 2015)
CalDB 4.6.7 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.6.7 was released on February 23, 2015. Note that this release requires CIAO 4.3 or higher...
An Intriguing New Member of the Black Hole Family Tree (26 Feb 2015)
A newly discovered cosmic object may help provide answers to some
long-standing questions about how black holes evolve and influence their
surroundings, according to
Mezcua et al. (2015,
MNRAS, in press), who observed it with Chandra and the
European VLBI Network.
This intriguing object, called NGC2276-3c, is located in an arm of the spiral
galaxy NGC 2276. With an inferred mass of 50,000 solar masses, it
appears to be an 'intermediate-mass black hole' or IMBH.
NASA, ESA Telescopes Give Shape to Furious Black Hole Winds (19 Feb 2015)
Five simultaneous observations by Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and the XMM-Newton
observatory are showing that fierce winds from a supermassive black hole in
PDS 456 blow
outward in all directions -- a phenomenon that had been suspected, but
difficult to prove until now. See
Nardini et al. (2015, Science, 346, 860) for the full
details.
The Million Quasars Catalog (19 Feb 2015)
The latest version (v4.4, 6 February 2015) of the
MILLIQUAS Catalog
(Eric Flesch 2009 - 2015) containing more than one million
(1,151,011 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Release of Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2015, Omnibus Solicitation NNH15ZDA001N (19 Feb 2015)
NASA's Science Mission Directorate announced the release of its
annual ROSES omnibus solicitation for 2015 on February 13, 2015.
Table 2 of individual programs in order of due date can be found here.
Low Frequency Array Bootes Field 62-MHz Source Catalog (29 Jan 2015)
This catalog of 329 62-MHz sources detected by LOFAR in a field in
Bootes (from Van
Weeren at al. 2014, ApJ, 793, 82) is now available in
Browse and Xamin, along with 3 other tables based on data from the same paper from
observations of a field centered on 3C 295 of
62-MHz sources,
46-MHz sources and
34-MHz sources.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (23 Jan 2015)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on January 23, 2015 (CALDB version 20150123). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 44, valid up to 2015-01-23.
Updated IRAM Pico Veleta 30-m Telescope Observation Log (21 Jan 2015)
The latest version of the IRAM 30-m telescope observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2015, IRAM Newsletters) containing the details of 280,283
observations completed through 2013 December 31 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XSPEC 12.8.2k Released (21 Jan 2015)
Updated January 21, 2015. It is now possible to retrieve the values of the variable fit parameters at each point of a steppar run in either xspec or PyXspec
Bright Extra-Galactic AT20G Sources Polarizations Catalog (20 Jan 2015)
This catalog of 187 bright extragalactic sources listing
polarization data at 4.8, 8.6 and 18 GHz (from Massardi
at al. 2013, MNRAS, 436, 2915) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
General CALDB updated (17 Jan 2015)
Update 17 Jan 2015: added new leap second (01 July 2015) into leapsec_010715.fits file.
INTEGRAL orbit change in January and February 2015 to foster a safe disposal by 2029 (16 Jan 2015)
A side effect of the orbit change is that INTEGRAL will no longer have
revolutions of 3 sidereal days. Instead, one aims at implementing a
scheme of 3 revolutions in 8 days. See ISOC news web page
for details.
New INTEGRAL data distribution policy for AO-12 (16 Jan 2015)
In AO-12 the data access rights policy has changed with respect to
previous AOs. See
ISDC data distribution web page for a description and new download interface.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (16 Jan 2015)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on January 14, 2015 (CALDB version 20150114). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 43, valid up to 2015-01-14.
XSPEC 12.8.2j Released (16 Jan 2015)
Updated January 15, 2015. Fix to the optxagnf model ...
Third Fermi LAT (3FGL) Catalog Released (15 Jan 2015)
The 3FGL catalog is based on the first 4 years of LAT science
data. It contains 3,033 sources of gamma-rays from 100 MeV to 300 GeV. The
catalog is provided as a FITS table and as PDF files, and is accompanied by
important caveats as well as a draft of the paper describing the details of
the catalog preparation. The 3FGL catalog represents a major milestone and is
a great accomplishment by the international Fermi-LAT team.
Lists of Accepted Swift Cycle 11 Recommended Targets and Proposals Are Available (14 Jan 2015)
The lists of Swift Cycle 11 Guest Investigator Program
recommended targets and proposals have been posted.
Suzaku Cycle 10 GO Proposal Submission Deadline is Soon (13 Jan 2015)
The high-energy community is reminded that proposals to the
Suzaku Cycle 10 Guest Observer Program should be submitted (by US-based
proposers) through the
HEASARC's ARK/RPS online facility by
16:30 EST on February 3, 2015.
Fermi Cycle 8 GI Proposal Submission Deadline is At Hand (13 Jan 2015)
The high-energy community is reminded that proposals to the Fermi
Cycle-8 Guest Investigator Program should be submitted through the
HEASARC's ARK/RPS online facility by
16:30 EST on January 22, 2015.
The Million Quasars Catalog (13 Jan 2015)
The latest version (v4.3, 11 January 2015) of the
MILLIQUAS Catalog
(Eric Flesch 2009 - 2015) containing more than one million
(1,116,659 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Optically-Selected SDSS QSOs NVSS Detections Catalog (13 Jan 2015)
This catalog of 354 SDSS QSOs in 2 selected redshift ranges which
were detected in the NRAO VLA Sky Survey at 20 cm (from Condon
at al. 2013, ApJ, 768, 37) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Suzaku CALDB updated (10 Jan 2015)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20150105) ...
Swift CALDB Data updated (10 Jan 2015)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20150107)...
Will the Real Monster Black Hole Please Stand Up? (09 Jan 2015)
As described in
Ptak et al. (2015, ApJ, in press), a new
high-energy X-ray image from NuSTAR has pinpointed the
'true' monster in two colliding galaxies, collectively
called Arp 299, that are located 44 Mpc away. Each of the galaxies has
a supermassive black hole at its heart. NuSTAR has revealed that the black hole
located in Arp 299-B, the western of the galaxy pair, is actively gorging on
gas, while its partner Arp 299-A is either dormant or hidden under gas or dust.
NASA Observatories Take an Unprecedented Look into Superstar Eta Carinae (09 Jan 2015)
At this week's AAS Meeting, Eta Car, the most luminous and
massive stellar system within 10,000 light-years, and known for its surprising
behavior such as 2 massive eruptions in the 19th century, was showcased.
A long-term study led by Ted Gull, Mike Corcoran, Tom
Madura and Mairan Teodoro has used NASA satellites, ground-based telescopes and
theoretical modeling to produce the most comprehensive picture of Eta Carinae
to date.
Chandra Detects Record-Breaking Outburst from Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole (07 Jan 2015)
At this week's AAS Meeting, Haggard et al. have presented Chandra
observations of the largest X-ray flare ever detected
from the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, Sgr A*.
The magnitude of this event raises questions about the behavior of this
4.5 million solar mass black hole and its surrounding environment.
XSPEC 12.8.2h Released (30 Dec 2014)
Updated December 30, 2014. Adds a new function to PyXspec which makes available the results of the most recent Fit.steppar() run ...
PIMMS updated to Version 4.7d (24 Dec 2014)
Version 4.7d updated, though still somewhat preliminary, effective area curve for the NICER mission...
NuSTAR Observes Sun Sizzling in High-Energy X-Rays (22 Dec 2014)
For the first time, NuSTAR, a mission designed to observe black
holes and other objects far from our solar system has turned its gaze back
closer to home, capturing images of the Sun, and
producing the most sensitive solar portrait ever taken in hard X-rays.
Future NuSTAR images should provide even better data as the sun winds down its
solar cycle and might capture the hypothesized nanoflares that
may energize the solar corona.
Chandra Weighs Most Massive Galaxy Cluster in Distant Universe (22 Dec 2014)
A newly discovered galaxy cluster, XDCP J0044.0-2033 nicknamed
the Gioiello or Jewel Cluster, is the
most massive cluster ever detected with an age of 800 million years or less.
Using data from Chandra, Tozzi et al. (2015, ApJ, in
press) have accurately determined the mass and other
properties of this cluster, an important step in understanding how
galaxy clusters have evolved over cosmic time.
Chandra Cycle 17 Call for Proposals Has Been Released (18 Dec 2014)
The Chandra X-ray Center is pleased to announce the release of the
Chandra Cycle 17 Call for Proposals (CfP). The CfP, the Proposers' Observatory
Guide (POG), proposal planning software, and general information are posted
on the above web site. The deadline for Cycle 17 proposals to be
submitted by is 2015 March 17, 6:00pm EDT.
New Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Catalog Web Site (17 Dec 2014)
This web site includes search tools to query the Swiftgrb
database at the HEASARC and external sites for additional information on the
GRBs. The Swiftgrb database contains information for each burst detected by
Swift,
as well as data products obtained from all instruments on Swift (currently
through Dec 2012).
Chandra CALDB 4.6.5 installed at the HEASARC (16 Dec 2014)
CalDB 4.6.5 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.6.5 was released on December 16, 2014. Note that this release requires CIAO 4.3 or higher...
WISE Blazar-like Radio-Loud Source (WIBRaLS) Catalog (16 Dec 2014)
This catalog of 7,855 sources classified as BL Lacs, FSRQs, or
mixed candidate blazars based on their WISE mid-IR colors being similar to those
of confirmed gamma-ray blazars (from D'Abrusco et al. 2014, ApJS, 215, 14)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
XSPEC 12.8.2g Released (15 Dec 2014)
Updated December 15, 2014. Change for recorn component ...
Chandra Bulge Field X-Ray Point Source Catalog (15 Dec 2014)
This catalog of 2,002 Chandra X-ray point sources detected in the
Chandra Bulge Field (from Morihana et al. 2013, ApJ, 766, 14)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
Chandra Observatory Identifies 28 ULXs in Colliding Galaxy Pair (11 Dec 2014)
Using Chandra X-ray data as well as Spitzer IR and GALEX UV data,
Mineo
et al. (2014, ApJ, in press) have now tallied a total of 28
ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) located between the collding galaxies NGC
2207 and IC 2163. Twelve of these vary over a span of several years, including
seven that were not detected before because they were in a 'quiet' phase during
earlier observations.
XMM-Newton CFHTLS W1 Field Galaxy Groups Catalog (11 Dec 2014)
This catalog of the properties of 128 X-ray selected groups of
galaxies detected in the CFHTLS W1 field (from Gozaliasl et al. 2014, A&A, 566, A140)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
Suzaku AO-10 Released (11 Dec 2014)
AO-10 proposals, for XIS observations between 2015 May-Oct, are due on 2015 February 3.
The Million Quasars Catalog (11 Dec 2014)
The latest version (v4.2, 6 December 2014) of the
MILLIQUAS Catalog
(Eric Flesch 2009 - 2014) containing more than one million
(1,046,163 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XMMAO (XMM-Newton Accepted Targets) Table (11 Dec 2014)
The latest version of the table of accepted XMM-Newton targets,
updated to include AO-14 results, is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XMM-Newton AO-14 Results Released (10 Dec 2014)
The list of XMM-Newton observing proposals accepted by the AO-14 Observing Time Allocation Committee is now available.
XMM-Newton XSA v8.3 Released (04 Dec 2014)
The latest release of the XMM-Newton Science Archive tool.
Enhanced Bibcode Access In Xamin (02 Dec 2014)
The recently released version 2.1.6 of Xamin has some enhanced capabilities for handling bibcode queries. For some time the web interface has allowed users to ask whether any tables have rows that index observations which are referenced in a particular ... Continue reading ...
INTEGRAL science operations confirmed until 31 December 2016 (01 Dec 2014)
During a meeting on 19 and 20 November 2014, the ESA Science Programme Committee (SPC) approved the
confirmation of science operations until 31 December 2016, as
well the indicative extension of science operations for INTEGRAL until 31 December 2018,
subject to a mid-term review in 2016. See the full story on the
SPC decision.
Revised Bologna Catalog of Clusters and Candidates in M31 (V. 5) (18 Nov 2014)
The RBC catalog of over 2000 confirmed and/or suspected globular
clusters in the M31 Galaxy (from
Galleti
et al. 2009, A&A, 508, 1285 and previous papers) is
now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NuSTAR Guest Observer AO1 Deadline Is Near (14 Nov 2014)
The deadline for NuSTAR proposal submission is
4:30 pm EST on November 25th .
IceCube & 3 NASA X-ray Telescopes Find Sgr A* May Be a Neutrino Factory (14 Nov 2014)
Based on an analysis of data from the IceCube Neutrino
Observatory, Chandra, Swift, and NuSTAR,
Bai
et al. (2014, Phys. Rev. D, 90, 063012)
have discovered that the giant black hole at the center of the Milky Way may
be producing neutrinos. If confirmed, this would be the first time neutrinos
have been traced back to a black hole.
XMM-Newton SAS v14.0.0 Released (13 Nov 2014)
The latest release of the XMM-Newton Science Analysis Software.
Swift CALDB Data updated (12 Nov 2014)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20141107)...
NuSTAR CALDB Update (07 Nov 2014)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on November 7, 2014 (CALDB version 20141107). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 42, valid up to 2014-11-07.
Chandra Observatory Identifies Impact of Cosmic Chaos on Star Birth (28 Oct 2014)
Zhuravleva
et al. (2014, Nature, in press)
have analyzed the Chandra data for the nearby cool-core clusters of galaxies
Persesu and Virgo and conclude that turbulence may be preventing hot gas there
from cooling, addressing a long-standing question of why galaxy clusters do
not form large numbers of stars.
INTEGRAL IBIS AGN Catalog (24 Oct 2014)
This catalog of the classification and X-ray properties of 272
active galactic nuclei which have been detected by the INTEGRAL IBIS instrument
(from
Malizia
et al. 2012, MNRAS, 426, 1750) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
5th NuSTAR Public Data Release (23 Oct 2014)
214 new NuSTAR data sets from the first 24 months of observations
were released to the public NuSTAR archive on September 23rd. NuSTAR data are
accessible via the usual HEASARC archive interfaces, i.e.,
Xamin
and
Browse,
by querying the NuSTAR master table (numaster). NuSTAR data can also be
accessed from the HEASARC FTP site.
Browse bug fix (22 Oct 2014)
Bug fix to Browse v. 8.4. Fixed calculation of data product download size for the Create Download Script option. ...
Fermi Finds Hints of Starquakes in Magnetar Burst 'Storm' (22 Oct 2014)
Fermi detected a rapid-fire "storm"
of high-energy blasts from the highly magnetized neutron star (magnetar)
SGR J1550-5418 on Jan. 22, 2009. Now Huppenkothen
et al. 2014, ApJ, 787, 128 have discovered underlying
signals related to seismic waves rippling throughout the magnetar.
Such signals were first identified during the fadeout of rare giant flares
produced by magnetars.
The Million Quasars Catalog (21 Oct 2014)
The latest version (v4.1, 20 October 2014) of the
MILLIQUAS Catalog
(Eric Flesch 2009 - 2014) containing more than one million
(1,043,468 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
ROSES-14 Amendment 39: Revised Text and New Due Date for D.6, Fermi Guest Investigator - Cycle 8 (20 Oct 2014)
The changes to the
text are the inclusion of joint observations with
INTEGRAL, some clarifications about two-year projects, a larger range for
possible funding levels, and a later due date. Proposals are now due by 4:30
pm Eastern time on January 22, 2015.
VLA-COSMOS Survey 324-MHz Continuum Source Catalog (20 Oct 2014)
This catalog of the properties of 182 324-MHz radio sources
detected by the Very Large Array in the COSMOS field (from
Smolcic
et al. 2014, MNRAS, 443, 2590) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (20 Oct 2014)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on October 20, 2014 (CALDB version 20141020). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 41, valid up to 2014-10-20.
AT Large Area Survey (ATLAS) CDF-S and ELAIS-S1 1.4-GHz Data Release 2 Components Catalog (16 Oct 2014)
This catalog of the properties of 2,588 1.4-GHz components
detected by the Australia Telescope in the CDF-S & ELAIS-S1 fields (from
Hales
et al. 2014, MNRAS, 441, 2555) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
XSPEC 12.8.2f Released (16 Oct 2014)
Updated October 15, 2014. 64-bit support by udmget ...
15 Years of Science with Chandra Symposium Registration Deadline Extended (15 Oct 2014)
The registration and poster submission deadlines for the 15 Years
of Science with Chandra Symposium have been extended until October 24, 2014.
The registration fee will be raised to $600 after that day.
Please note that October 24, 2014 is also the deadline for booking the hotel
rooms at the
conference
rates. Please book your room early.
Massive Star-Forming Regions (MSFRs) Omnibus X-Ray Catalog (MOXC) (15 Oct 2014)
The MOXC catalog of the properties of 20,623 X-ray point sources
observed by Chandra/ACIS towards 12 MSFRs located at distances ranging from
1.7 to 50 kpc (from Townsley
et al. 2014, ApJS, 213, 1) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (14 Oct 2014)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on October 14, 2014 (CALDB version 20141014). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 40, valid up to 2014-10-09.
XMM-Newton AO-14 Solicitation Closed (10 Oct 2014)
XMM-Newton Fourteenth Announcement of Opportunity Closed.
Catalog of Dynamical Masses of Selected Orbital Binary Systems (09 Oct 2014)
This catalog listing the masses of 652 orbital binaries with known
trigonometric parallaxes and orbits of high quality (from
Malkov
et al. 2012, A&A, 546, A69) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
A ULX with a Black Hole Whose Mass is Less Than 15 Solar Masses (08 Oct 2014)
Motch et al. (2014, Nature, 514, 198)
have used Swift, Chandra and XMM-Newton, as well as ground-based optical
telescopes, to study the Ultraluminous X-ray (ULX) source P13 in the galaxy
NGC 7793. They constrain the
black hole mass in this binary to be less than 15 solar masses, so it is not
an intermediate-mass black hole.
NASA's NuSTAR Telescope Discovers Shockingly Bright Dead Star (08 Oct 2014)
Bachetti
et al. (2014, Nature, 514, 202) used NuSTAR (together with
Chandra and Swift) to find a pulsating "dead" star beaming
with the energy of about 10 million suns. This is the brightest pulsar ever
recorded. The surprising find is helping astronomers better understand the
mysterious sources of blinding X-rays, called ultraluminous X-ray sources
(ULXs), which, until now, were all thought to be black holes.
DS9 Updated (08 Oct 2014)
Version 7.3.2; DS9 now fully supports 64 bit applications across all platforms. New support for 64 bit MacOSX Aqua has been added, along with 64 bit Windows Cygwin, gui improvements, more ...
Reminder: XMM-Newton AO-14 Deadline is Very Near (08 Oct 2014)
A friendly reminder that XMM-Newton proposals are due THIS Friday,
i.e., 10 October 2014, at 12:00 UT = 8:00am EDT.
Swift CALDB Data updated (02 Oct 2014)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20140903)...
Suzaku CALDB updated (02 Oct 2014)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20141001) ...
Catalog of Swift XRT Counterparts to Unidentified 1FGL Sources (26 Sep 2014)
This catalog listing 267 X-ray sources found in the Swift XRT
FoV in observations of 134 high-latitude unidentified Fermi gamma-ray sources
(from
Takeuchi et al. 2013, ApJS, 208, 25)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
NICER Passes Critical Design Review (19 Sep 2014)
NICER unanimously passed its CDR "with flying colors".
Milky Way Star Clusters (MWSC) Catalog (18 Sep 2014)
This catalog listing the properties of the 3,000+ open clusters
in the Galaxy has been updated to include 139 newly discovered clusters from
Schmeja et al. 2014, A&A, 568, A51.
The new version of MWSC is now available in Browse and Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (17 Sep 2014)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on September 17, 2014 (CALDB version 20140917). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 39, valid up to 2014-09-17.
Einstein Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Now Accepting On-Line
Applications (17 Sep 2014)
The 2015 Call for Proposals for new Einstein Fellows has been
posted. These appointments are expected to begin on or about Sep 1, 2015. This
CfP provides an opportunity for highly qualified, recent post-doctoral
scientists to conduct independent research that is broadly related to the
science goals of the NASA
Physics of the Cosmos program.
The deadline for applications is Nov 6, 2014 at 5:00pm EST.
The Pulse of a Dead Star Powers Intense Gamma Rays (16 Sep 2014)
When the most massive stars explode as supernovae, they don't fade
into the night, but sometimes glow ferociously with high-energy gamma rays.
What powers these energetic stellar remains? NuSTAR is helping to untangle the
mystery.
Green Catalog of Galactic SNRs (May 2014 Version) (15 Sep 2014)
The latest (2014) version of this catalog containing the radio
properties of 294 supernova remnants in the Galaxy
(from Green 2014,
BASI, in press)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
NGC 300 Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (12 Sep 2014)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties
of 95 point-like sources detected by the Chandra ACIS-I in the
nearby (2.0 Mpc) spiral galaxy NGC 300
(from Binder et al. 2012, ApJ, 758, 15)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
XSPEC 12.8.2e Released (11 Sep 2014)
Updated September 8, 2014. eplog bug fixed, other improvements ...
SMC ATCA 8640-MHZ Source Catalog (11 Sep 2014)
This catalog listing the properties
of 457 radio sources detected by the Australia Telescope Compact Array at
8640 MHz towards the SMC (from
Wong
et al. 2012, SerAJ, 184, 93), as well as a
catalog
of 601 4800-MHz sources in the field of the SMC
from the same reference, are both now available in Browse and
Xamin.
SMC MOST 843-MHZ Source Catalog (11 Sep 2014)
This catalog listing the properties
of 1,689 radio sources detected by the Molonglo Obs. Synthesis Telescope at
843 MHz towards the SMC (from
Wong
et al. 2011, SerAJ, 183, 103), as well as a
catalog
of 1,560 1400-MHz sources in the field of the SMC
from the same reference, are both now available in Browse and
Xamin.
M 31 VLA 325-MHZ Source Catalog (10 Sep 2014)
This catalog listing the properties
of 405 radio sources detected by the Very Large Array at 325 MHz
in an area of 7.6 square degrees towards M 31
(from Gelfand et al. 2004, ApJS, 7155, 89)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
NGC 2903 Central Region Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (08 Sep 2014)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties
of 92 point-like sources detected by the Chandra ACIS-S in the central region
of the late-type barred spiral galaxy NGC 2903
(from Yukita et al. 2012, ApJ, 758, 105)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
Updated IRAM Pico Veleta 30-m Telescope Observation Log (05 Sep 2014)
The latest version of the IRAM 30-m telescope observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2014, IRAM Newsletters) containing 243,162
observations completed through 2013 June 30 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Release of OSA 10.1 for INTEGRAL Data Analysis (04 Sep 2014)
The ISDC has released OSA 10.1. It contains several improvements and bug fixes including improved image reconstruction for IBIS/ISGRI and energy calibration for JEM-X. This software is available for download both from the ISDC and the HEASARC.
Chandra CALDB 4.6.3 installed at the HEASARC (02 Sep 2014)
CalDB 4.6.3 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.6.3 was released on August 29, 2014. Note that this release requires CIAO 4.3 or higher...
Chandra X-Ray Observatory Observes Eta Carinae Star System (27 Aug 2014)
As one of the first objects observed by Chandra after its launch
some 15 years ago, this double star system continues to reveal new clues about
its nature through the X-rays it generates. Hamaguchi et al. (2014, ApJ, 784, 125) discuss the X-ray
minimum coincident with the last periastron in 2009: the same team has been
obtaining new Chandra data of the current Eta Car periastron/X-ray minimum.
NuSTAR Guest Observer Cycle 1 Solicitation Released (26 Aug 2014)
ROSES-14 Amendment 32 contains a new call under Appendix
D.11 soliciting proposals to the NuSTAR Guest Observer - Cycle 1 announcement
of opportunity which was released on August 26, 2014. The due date for
proposals is November 25, 2014.
XMM-Newton AO-14 Solicitation Released (26 Aug 2014)
XMM-Newton observing proposals are solicited in response to the Fourteenth Announcement of Opportunity.
Web Hera version 3.0 available (25 Aug 2014)
Version 3.0 of Web Hera is now available. Web Hera allows users to analyze nearly any dataset archived at the HEASARC directly via the web, without having to download or install software. Version 3.0 is a major upgrade to Web Hera capabilities, which now provies the ability to run Chandra and XMM-SAS (in addition to FTools) software, to view header information and table contents of FITs file on the fly, tighter integration with Xamin, and other improvements.
Delay of Suzaku AO-10 (25 Aug 2014)
AO-9 period has been extended by 2 month, with a corresponding delay in the release of AO-10
NuSTAR CALDB Update (25 Aug 2014)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on July 25, 2014 (CALDB version 20140814). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 38, valid up to 2014-04-14.
RXTE Decodes the Rhythm of an Unusual Black Hole (19 Aug 2014)
Pasham et al. 2014, Nature, in press
have uncovered rhythmic pulsations from a rare type of black hole 12 million
light-years away by sifting through archival data from NASA's Rossi X-ray
Timing Explorer satellite. The signals have helped astronomers identify an
unusual midsize black hole called M82 X-1, which is the brightest X-ray source
in the M 82 galaxy.
15 Years of Science with Chandra Symposium: Abstracts for Oral Presentations Can Still Be Submitted! (18 Aug 2014)
The deadline for Abstracts for Oral Presentations has been
extended to August 28th: the meeting will highlight key science results from
the past 15 years and a panel discussion focusing on key science topics for
the next 10+ years of operation of the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Fermi Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor Solar Flare Catalog (18 Aug 2014)
This catalog, listing the properties of 3,128 Fermi GBM
triggers
associated with known solar flares, is now available in Browse and Xamin. It will be updated on a daily basis, so the number of
flares in the table will increase from this initial number.
NICER at the HEAD Meeting (17 Aug 2014)
The NICER Special
Session at the 2014 meeting of the High Energy Astrophysics Division
(HEAD) of the American Astronomical Society will be held on
Wednesday, August 20, at 1:30 pm in the Great Lakes Grand Ballroom
of the Westin Michigan Avenue hotel in Chicago. Please join us!
NICER Critical Design Review (16 Aug 2014)
NICER's next step towards launch, the Critical Design Review, is planned for September 2014. NICER remains on-track for launch on the SpaceX-12 ISS resupply flight currently scheduled for October 2016.
Chandra Observatory Searches for Trigger of the Recent Nearby Supernova SN 2014J (14 Aug 2014)
New data from Chandra offer a glimpse into the environment of a
star before it exploded earlier this year, and insight into what triggered one
of the closest supernovae witnessed in decades. The data gathered on the Jan.
21 explosion, a Type Ia supernova, allowed Margutti et al. (2014, ApJ, 790, 52) to rule out one
possible cause, single-degenerate systems with steady mass loss until the
terminal explosion.
10th INTEGRAL Workshop Releases 3rd Circular (14 Aug 2014)
The 10th INTEGRAL Workshop "A Synergistic View of the High Energy Sky" to be held September 15-19, 2014 in Annapolis, MD has released its 3rd circular in which it announces an extension of the early registration deadline to 22 August 2014. The program is now posted on the workshop website.
LMC N11 Giant H II Region Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (14 Aug 2014)
This catalog listing the properties and proposed counterparts
of 165 X-ray point sources detected by the Chandra ACIS in the field of
the N11 H II region in the Large Magellanic Cloud
(from Nazé et al. 2014, ApJS, 213, 23)
is now available in Browse and Xamin.
NuSTAR Sees Rare "Blurring" of Black Hole Light (12 Aug 2014)
NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) has captured
an extreme and rare event in the regions immediately surrounding the
supermassive black hole in Markarian 335. A compact source of X-rays that sits
near the black hole, called the corona, has moved closer to the black hole
over a period of just days so that the black hole's intense gravity has blurred
and stretched its X-ray emission.
The Million Quasars Catalog (06 Aug 2014)
The latest version (v4.0, 5 August 2014) of the
MILLIQUAS Catalog
(Eric Flesch 2009 - 2014) containing more than one million
(1,021,959 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Fermi Finds that Novae are a New Class of Gamma-Ray Sources (05 Aug 2014)
Observations by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope of several
stellar eruptions, called novae, firmly establish these relatively common
outbursts almost always produce gamma rays, the most energetic form of light,
according to a new
paper in Science by the Fermi LAT Collaboration (2014,
Science, 345, 554).
Swift CALDB Data updated (30 Jul 2014)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20140718) and the XRT (update version 20140709)...
NASA's DXL Rocket Settles Interstellar Debate (29 Jul 2014)
New findings (Galeazzi et al. 2014, Nature, in press; Snowden et
al. 2014, ApJL, 791, L14) from the DXL (Diffuse X-ray emission from the Local
Galaxy) mission have resolved a decades-old puzzle about a fog of low-energy
X-rays observed over the entire sky. Astronomers have now confirmed the
long-held suspicion that much of this glow stems from a region of
million-degree interstellar plasma known as the local hot bubble.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (25 Jul 2014)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on July 25, 2014 (CALDB version 20140715). This updates the NuSTAR clock correction file to version 37, valid up to 2014-07-15.
PIMMS updated to Version 4.7a (25 Jul 2014)
Version 4.7a contains an updated post-launch effective area curve file for NuSTAR...
Viewing tool updated (22 Jul 2014)
The Swift pole constraints have been updated in the
Viewing tool. The revised coefficients extrapolate the trend for the
next year. The web interface has also been enhanced with improved error
handling.
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory Celebrates 15th Anniversary (22 Jul 2014)
Fifteen years ago, the Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched
into space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Since its deployment on July 23,
1999, Chandra has helped revolutionize our understanding of the universe
through its unrivaled X-ray vision. To celebrate its 15th anniversary,
four new images of supernova remnants, the Crab Nebula, Tycho, G292.0+1.8,
and 3C58 , are being released.
Fermi Finds A 'Transformer' Pulsar (22 Jul 2014)
In late June 2013, an exceptional binary containing a rapidly
spinning neutron star, the 1.7-millisecond pulsar named PSR J1023+0038,
underwent a dramatic change in behavior never before
observed. The pulsar's radio beacon vanished, while at the same time the system
brightened fivefold in gamma rays, the most powerful form of light, according
to measurements by the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope.
2XMMi/SDSS Galaxy Cluster Survey (21 Jul 2014)
This catalog listing the X-ray and optical properties of
145 X-ray-detected clusters of galaxies (Takey
et al. 2014, A&A, 564, A54) is now available in Browse
and Xamin.
Chandra Cycle 16 Accepted Proposals and Targets Lists Are Now Available (17 Jul 2014)
The peer-review recommended targets and proposals for Chandra
Cycle 16 for regular, large, multicycle and XVP-type programs, as well as the
approved joint proposals with other ground-based and/or satellite facilities,
theory proposals and archive proposals, have been released.
Low-Frequency Radio Catalog of Flat-Spectrum Sources (LORCAT) (16 Jul 2014)
This catalog of 28,358 radio sources with flat spectra between
325/352 MHz and 1400 MHz (from
Massaro et al.
2014, ApJS, 213, 3) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
BeppoSAX High-Energy Large Area Survey (HELLAS) X-Ray Source Catalog (15 Jul 2014)
This catalog of 147 5-10 keV X-ray sources detected by the
BeppoSAX MECS in a survey of 85 sq.deg. (from
Fiore et al. 2001, MNRAS, 327, 771)
is now available in Browse and
Xamin. The related table of radio
sources and/or upper limits at the positions of these X-ray sources (from Ciliegi et al. 2003, MNRAS, 342, 575) is also
available
Chandra CALDB 4.6.2 installed at the HEASARC (14 Jul 2014)
CalDB 4.6.2 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.6.2 was released on July 9, 2014. This release corrects an error in the HRC branch index file which causes the 2012 and 2013 HRC-I BKGRND files to be selected in reversed order, which affects HRC-I-related tools such as hrc_bkgrnd_lookup and fluximage. Note that this release requires CIAO 4.3 or higher...
VLA Low-Frequency Sky Survey Redux (VLSSr) Source Catalog (10 Jul 2014)
The latest version of the VLSSr catalog (from
Lane et al. 2014, MNRAS, 440, 327)
of 92,965 74-MHz radio sources (components) above a 5-sigma threshold in 3 pi
sr of the sky is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
WebPIMMS tool updated (09 Jul 2014)
WebPIMMS has been updated with a revamped web interface that
has improved error handling.
XSPEC 12.8.2a Released (09 Jul 2014)
Updated July 7, 2014. Adds "nowrite" option to PyXspec AllData.fakeit command ...
NGC 1316 (Fornax A) Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (09 Jul 2014)
This catalog listing the properties
of 95 X-ray point sources detected by the Chandra ACIS in the field of
NGC 1316 (and NGC 1317) from
Kim
& Fabbiano 2003, ApJ, 586, 826 is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
NGC 1512/NGC 1510 XMM-Newton X-Ray Source Catalog (09 Jul 2014)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties and identifications of
106 X-ray sources detected
by XMM-Newton in the field of this pair of interacting galaxies (Ducci et al.
2013, A, 145, 143&A, 566, A115) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
M 83 Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (07 Jul 2014)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties and identifications
of 458 point sources detected by the Chandra ACIS in 12 observations of M 83
totalling 790 ks
(Long et al.
2014, ApJS, 212, 21) is now available in Browse and Xamin.
INTEGRAL AO-12 General Program Approved (03 Jul 2014)
The INTEGRAL AO-12 General Program, as recommended by the Time
Allocation Committee (TAC) and approved on June 12 by ESA's Director
of Science and Robotic Exploration (Prof. Alvaro Gimenez), has been
released and the observers have been informed.
XSPEC 12.8.2 Released (03 Jul 2014)
Updated July 2, 2014. The code underlying the NEI models has been rewritten to accommodate the AtomDB 3.0 files, new models added, other changes ...
HEASoft 6.16 released (03 Jul 2014)
Released July 2, 2014; updates to
NuSTAR mission software (nustardas v. 1.4.1); support for the 64-bit architecture on Mac OS X; other changes...
Suzaku CALDB updated (01 Jul 2014)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20140701) ...
NuSTAR CALDB Update (01 Jul 2014)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on July 1, 2014 (CALDB version 20140414).
Swift CALDB Data updated (30 Jun 2014)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the XRT (update version 20140610)...
Call for U.S. Scientists to serve on the ATHENA Science Study Team (30 Jun 2014)
NASA is now soliciting applications and nominations for
individuals affiliated with US institutions to participate in the ESA Science
Study Team for the "Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics"
(ATHENA)... Applications are due Monday, July 7, 2014 at 5 pm local time.
The Million Quasars Catalog (30 Jun 2014)
The latest version (v3.9, 30 June 2014) of the
MILLIQUAS Catalog
(Eric Flesch 2009 - 2014) containing more than one million
(1,262,723 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
ESA's Athena Mission to Study the Hot and Energetic Universe (27 Jun 2014)
ESA has selected the Athena advanced telescope for high-energy
astrophysics as its second 'Large-class' science mission. The observatory will
use a large X-ray telescope to study the hot and energetic Universe. Athena
takes the 'L2' slot in ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 plan, with launch
foreseen to occur in 2028.
Alpha Persei Open Cluster XMM-Newton X-Ray Source Catalog (27 Jun 2014)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties of 102 X-ray sources
sources (including 39 likely cluster members) detected by XMM-Newton towards
part of the Alpha Per Cluster (Pillitteri et al.
2013, AJ, 145, 143) is now available in Browse and Xamin.
COSPAR Announces its 2014 Award Winners (26 Jun 2014)
Honorees include David McComas of SRI and Jean-Loup Puget of IAS
(winners of the Space Science Award), Carlé McGetchin Piters of Brown
University (winner of the International Cooperation Medal), Mikhail
Marov of the Vernadsky Institute (winner
of the William Nordberg Medal), and Eugene Churazov of the Max-Planck
Institute for Astrophysics (winner of the Harrie Massey Award).
ChIcAGO Survey Chandra X-Ray Source Catalog (25 Jun 2014)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties of 253 Chandra point
sources detected by Chandra within 3 arcmins of 93 unidentified ASCA Galactic
Plane Survey sources in the ChIcAGO Survey (Anderson et al.
2014, ApJS, 212, 13) is now available in Browse and Xamin.
Mysterious X-ray Signal in Galaxy Clusters Intrigues Astronomers (25 Jun 2014)
A mysterious X-ray signal has been found in a detailed study (Bulbul et al. 2014, ApJ, 789, 13) of
galaxy clusters using the Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM-Newton. One
intriguing possibility is that the X-rays are produced by the decay of sterile
neutrinos, a type of particle that has been proposed as a candidate for dark
matter.
CALDB initialization file updated (24 Jun 2014)
The caldb setup and initialization files (caldbinit.*) have been updated so that they no longer overwrite the $CALDB, $CALDBCONFIG and $CALDBALIAS environment variables if they are already defined. Note that first-time installers of the CALDB will need to edit the caldbinit.csh (c-shell variants) or caldbinit.sh (bash-variants) to properly define these environment variables to point to their local CALDB installation.
Fermi Cycle 7 Stage-I Proposal Selections (24 Jun 2014)
NASA Headquarters has completed the stage-I selection process for
the Fermi Cycle-7 Guest Investigator program. A list of the proposal titles,
abstracts and PIs is now posted on this web site (pdf file).
Selected Hickson Compact Groups Chandra X-Ray Point Source Catalog (23 Jun 2014)
This catalog listing the X-ray properties of 1,049 point source
detections made by Chandra in the fields of 9 HCGs (Tzanavaris et al. 2014,
ApJS, 212, 9) is now available in Browse and Xamin.
Swiftly Moving Gas Streamer Eclipses Supermassive Black Hole in NGC 5548 (20 Jun 2014)
An international team of astronomers, using data from Hubble,
Swift, NuSTAR, Chandra, XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL, has detected a stream of gas
flowing rapidly outward from the SMBH at the heart of the galaxy NGC 5548,
blocking 90% of its emitted X-rays. This behavior may provide new insights
into how SMBHs interact with their host galaxies.
Updated IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer Observation Log (19 Jun 2014)
The latest version of the IRAM PdBI observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2014, IRAM Newsletters) containing 17,748
observations completed through March 31, 2013 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
CFITSIO Version 3.37 released (11 Jun 2014)
Version 3.37 released June 3; support reading bzip2 compressed FITS files, other changes...
Swift X-Ray Telescope Returns to Normal Observing (10 Jun 2014)
J.A. Kennea and D.N. Burrows (PSU) report on behalf of the
Swift/XRT team that, at 17:58UT on June 10th, 2014, Swift's XRT was commanded
into Auto State, returning it to a normal observing setup.
Updated tuned HXD/PIN NXB files for Suzaku observations since 2012 August (10 Jun 2014)
Version 2.2 NXB files are more accurate than Version 2.0 files for observations since 2012 August.
Swift CALDB updated (09 Jun 2014)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20140605)...
Update on Swift X-ray Telescope Status (06 Jun 2014)
"The Swift XRT instrument resumed observations in a somewhat
degraded mode while we continue to investigate the underlying anomaly. The
intention is to remain in this mode at least through the end of Monday June
9th. The XRT is now operating in a special calibration mode that was used
occasionally in the first several years of operations in which it is
being manually commanded for each observation, through commands embedded in
the uploaded spacecraft timeline."
Fermi LAT CALDB update (05 Jun 2014)
The HEASARC CALDB for the Fermi LAT has been updated to version v9r33p0_20140604...
XSPEC 12.8.1p Patch Released (05 Jun 2014)
Updated June 5, 2014. Bug fix for the pstat statistic ...
Fermi Science Analysis Environment Updated (04 Jun 2014)
The FSSC is pleased to announce the availability of a new version of the Fermi Science Tools (v9r33p0), released on June 3. This version includes support for the CALDB, plotting in the non-ROOT
version of the tools and a new tool gtburst. Details can be found here. The LAT team has released an updated model of Galactic diffuse emission (gll_iem_v05_rev1.fit), and made corresponding updates to the photon data. All users of LAT data should update their analysis to use the
new model
Black Hole "Batteries" Keep Blazars Going and Going (03 Jun 2014)
Astronomers studying two classes of blazars - BL Lacs and FSRQs -
monitored by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have found evidence that they
represent different sides of the same cosmic coin.
By unraveling how these objects are distributed throughout
the universe, Ajello et al. (2014, Summer AAS Mtg) suggest that the apparently
distinctive properties defining each class likely reflect a change in the way
the galaxies extract energy from their central black holes.
Chandra Helps Explain 'Red and Dead Galaxies' (31 May 2014)
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has shed new light on the mystery
of why giant elliptical galaxies have few, if any, young stars. This new
evidence, presented in Werner et al. (2014, MNRAS, 439, 2291), highlights the
important role that supermassive black holes play in the evolution of their
host galaxies.
10th INTEGRAL Workshop Abstract Deadline Approaches (29 May 2014)
This is a reminder that abstracts are due on May 31 for the 10th
INTEGRAL Workshop "A Synergistic View of the High Energy Sky" to be held
September 15-19, 2014 in Annapolis, MD, USA.
Please visit the conference website for details of abstract submission and registration.
Carina Nebula Complex Gum 31 Chandra Point Source Catalog (29 May 2014)
This catalog listing the
X-ray and infrared properties of 679 point source detections made by Chandra
in the Gum 31/NGC 3324 region of Carina (Preibisch et al. et al. 2014, A&A,
564, A120) is now available in Browse and Xamin.
Suzaku CALDB updated (23 May 2014)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20140520) ...
XSPEC 12.8.1n,o Patches Released (23 May 2014)
Updated May 20, 2014. Fix to MCMC analysis using the Goodman-Weare algorithm, and cleared up pstat/pgstat confusion ...
Fermi and Radio Observations of Violent Gamma-Ray Outbursts Near Supermassive Black Holes (22 May 2014)
These observations allow the origin of gamma-ray flares in the
nuclear regions of active galaxies to be localized. Fuhrmann et al. (2014,
MNRAS, 441, 1899) place the emission site of these flares at parsec-scale
distances outside of the broad-line region.
Swift is Highly Ranked by the 2014 Senior Review (22 May 2014)
The Astrophysics Division's Senior Review in March and April this
year ranked Swift first among the nine operating missions that were considered
by its panel: "Swift continues to provide unique and exciting science both as
stand-alone results and as part of multi-wavelength campaigns". Swift has been
approved to continue operations through 2018 (subject to the 2016 Senior
Review).
NuSTAR is Highly Ranked by the 2014 Senior Review (22 May 2014)
The Astrophysics Division's Senior Review in March and April this
year ranked NuSTAR second among the nine operating missions that were
considered by its panel. NuSTAR has been approved to continue operations
through 2018 (subject to the 2016 Senior Review) and will have a Guest Observer
Program, with GO observations starting in 2015.
SDSS Quasar Catalog (10th Data Release: DR10Q) (22 May 2014)
The SDSS DR10Q Catalog listing the X-ray, UV,
optical, IR and radio properties of 166,583 quasars identified in the
Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) of the SDSS-III via visual
inspection of their spectra
(Paris et al. 2014, A&A, 563, A54) is now available in Browse and
Xamin
Swift CALDB Data updated (20 May 2014)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20140416)...
Mark Your Calendars: "Swift: 10 Years Of Discovery" Conference
Announced (19 May 2014)
The Swift project has announced the dates for this
conference (to be held in Rome), which will highlight key science results from
the first 10 years of Swift operations, as December 2-5, 2014. More
information will be available in early June.
Results of 2014 NASA SMD Astrophysics Senior Review of Operating Missions (19 May 2014)
The Astrophysics Division held the 2014 Senior Review in March
and April this year. Three panel were convened to review a) Hubble, b) Chandra,
and c) the rest of the operating missions. The panel reports and the NASA
response document for the 2014 Senior Review are now available.
4th NuSTAR Public Data Release (07 May 2014)
163 new NuSTAR data sets from the first 18 months of observations
were released to the public NuSTAR archive on May 7th. NuSTAR data are
accessible via the usual HEASARC archive interfaces, i.e.,
Xamin
and
Browse,
by querying the NuSTAR master table (numaster). NuSTAR data can also be
accessed from the HEASARC FTP site.
SDSS Stripe 82 XMM Source Catalog (22 Apr 2014)
The SDSS Stripe 82 XMM Source Catalog listing the X-ray, UV,
optical, IR and radio properties of 2,358 X-ray detections made by XMM-Newton
(LaMassa et al. 2013, MNRAS, 436, 3581) is now available in Browse and
Xamin,
as is the list from the same paper of 1,146 Chandra detections
in the same Stripe 82 field.
Ritter Catalog of Cataclysmic Variables, Version 7.21 (21 Apr 2014)
The latest (7.21: March-2014) versions of the Cataclysmic
Binaries Catalog, the Low-Mass
X-ray Binaries Catalog and the Binaries
Related to CVs Catalog (Ritter & Kolb 2003-2014) are all now
available in Browse and in
Xamin.
Chandra Source Catalog, v1.1 (16 Apr 2014)
Version 1.1 of the Chandra Source Catalog listing the
properties of 106,586 point and compact source detections made by Chandra
(CSC v1.0 is described in Evans et al. 2010, ApJS, 189, 37) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
Mark Your Calendars: 15 Years of Chandra Symposium Announced (10 Apr 2014)
The Chandra Science Center has announced the dates for this
symposium (to be held in Boston) which will highlight key science results from
the first 15 years of Chandra operations as November 18-21, 2014. More
information will be available shortly.
2014 Einstein Postdoctoral Fellows Chosen (04 Apr 2014)
NASA has announced the selection of the 2014 Einstein Fellows who
will conduct research related to NASA's Physics of the Cosmos (PCOS) program,
which aims to expand our knowledge of the origin, evolution, and fate of the
Universe. The PCOS Program consists of a suite of operating science missions
and possible future missions that focus on specific aspects of these questions.
Fermi Data Tantalize With New Clues To Dark Matter (03 Apr 2014)
A new study of gamma-ray light from the center of our galaxy makes
the strongest case to date that some of this emission may arise from dark
matter. Using
publically available Fermi data, researchers have developed new maps showing
that the galactic center produces more high-energy gamma rays than can be
explained by known sources and that this excess emission is consistent with
some forms of dark matter.
Upcoming NICER Presentations Announced (03 Apr 2014)
There will be an overview presentation on the NICER mission design at the SPIE "Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2014: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray" conference in Montreal in June, 2014, and NICER science will be the subject of a Special Session at the High-Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) meeting in Chicago in August, 2014.
Suzaku Cycle 9 Review Results E-mailed (31 Mar 2014)
PIs of Suzaku Cycle 9 proposals submitted to the US have been notified via e-mail.
XMM-Newton Optical Monitor Serendipitous UV Survey Source Catalog, v2.0 (31 Mar 2014)
The new version of the XMM OM-SUSS Catalog listing the optical and
UV properties of 5,595,331 source detections made by the XMM-Newton OM (v1.0 is
described in Page et al. 2012, MNRAS, 426, 903) is now available in Browse and
Xamin, as is the associated list of 6,604 XMM observations in which these sources were found.
Forward to Phase C (31 Mar 2014)
NICER's engineers and scientists have successfully passed several major project milestones, including a Preliminary Design Review by an independent team of experts, an initial Payload Safety Review by an International Space Station (ISS) panel, and a Confirmation Review at NASA HQ. NICER is now in Phase C
Chandra CALDB 4.6.1 installed at the HEASARC (26 Mar 2014)
CalDB 4.6.1 is now installed and available at the HEASARC. Chandra 4.6.1 was released on March 26, 2014. Note that this release requires CIAO 4.3 or higher...
XSPEC 12.8.1m Patch Released (21 Mar 2014)
Updated March 21, 2014. Inaccuracy in the gabs model fixed ...
BICEP2 detects B-mode Polarization at Degree Angular Scales (18 Mar 2014)
The BICEP2 CMB polarimeter experiment designed "to search for
the signal of inflationary gravitational waves in the B-mode power spectrum
around l = 80" has indeed found such a signal "inconsistent with the null
hypothesis at a significance of > 5 sigma" (BICEP2 Collab. arXiv:1403.3985),
as reported in many news articles today.
XMM-Newton reveals a candidate period for the spin of RX J1605.3+3249 (13 Mar 2014)
The "Magnificent Seven" is a group of thermal X-ray
emitting isolated neutron stars whose properties are closer to magnetars than
to classical
rotationally-powered pulsars. To date, rotation periods have been determined
for all but RX J1605+3249. Pires et al. (2014, A&A, 563, A50) report the
successful detection by XMM of its pulsed emission, a period of 3.38 sec, and
evidence of a spindown that implies a dipole field of about
7 x 1013G.
Herschel Stripe 82 Survey (HerS) Source Catalog (11 Mar 2014)
The catalog of 32,815 sources detected by Herschel SPIRE at 250
um in 79 square degrees along the SDSS Stripe 82 (from Viero et al. 2014,
ApJS, 210, 22) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Fermi LAT First Gamma-Ray Burst Catalog (11 Mar 2014)
The Fermi Large Area Telescope First Gamma-Ray Burst Catalog
(Ackermann et al., 2013, ApJS, 209, 11) of 35 GRBs detected between August
2008 and July 2011 is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
XMM-Newton OM Object Catalog (Version 2) (08 Mar 2014)
The new version of the XMM OMCat, the Catalog of Serendipitous
Sources detected with the XMM-Newton Optical Monitor (Kuntz et al. 2008, PASP,
120, 740), is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Chandra and XMM-Newton Provide Direct Measurement of Distant Black Hole's Spin (05 Mar 2014)
Reis et al. (2014, Nature, in press) have used the Chandra
and XMM-Newton observatories to show that the supermassive
black hole in RX J1131-1231, a gravitationally lensed quasar at a redshift of
0.658, is spinning extremely rapidly. This first direct
measurement of the spin of such a distant black hole is an important advance
for understanding how black holes grow over time.
PIMMS updated to Version 4.7 (05 Mar 2014)
Includes effective area curves for MAXI SSC and GSC all-sky monitor instrument, other changes...
XMM-Newton Slew Survey Source Catalogs (Version 1.6) (01 Mar 2014)
The updated versions of the XMM Slew Survey "Clean" and
"Full"
Source Catalogs are now available in Browse and
Xamin.
IRAS Point Source Catalog Redshift Catalog (27 Feb 2014)
The PSCz catalog (the 'short version') of redshifts and other
information for almost all galaxies brighter than 0.6 Jy at 60 micron in
the unobscured 84% of the sky,
from Saunders et al. (2000, MNRAS, 317, 55), is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Suzaku Cycle 9 Target List Available (26 Feb 2014)
The list of accepted Suzaku AO-9 targets is now available.
Second GBM Catalog of Gamma-Ray Bursts Available at the HEASARC (25 Feb 2014)
The Fermi Science Support Center and the GBM Team are pleased to
announce the availability of the second GBM catalog of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs)
in the
HEASARC Browse and
Xamin interfaces. The catalog will soon be published in
the Astrophysical Journal Supplement.
12th INTEGRAL Announcement of Opportunity (24 Feb 2014)
ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration (Prof.
Alvaro Gimenez) has released the 12th Announcement of Opportunity for
observing proposals with INTEGRAL. The deadline for proposal
submission is April 4, 2014. Additional information can be found on
the ESA INTEGRAL website and on the "Proposals and Tools" page of the
NASA INTEGRAL GOF.
Massive Young Star-Forming Complex Study in IR & X-Rays (MYStIX)
Probable Complex Members (23 Feb 2014)
The MYStIX catalog of 31,549 likely young stars located in 20
nearby massive star-formation regions,
from Broos et al. (2013, ApJS, 209, 32), is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
With A Deadly Embrace, 'Spidery' Pulsars Consume Their Mates (21 Feb 2014)
Using data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, NRAO's
Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, optical telescopes and also high-powered
computer clusters, astronomers are studying "black widow" and "redback" pulsars
in close binary systems which are in the process of "devouring" their
companions. Watch the
video.
The Million Quasars Catalog (21 Feb 2014)
The latest version (v3.8, 16 February 2014) of the
MILLIQUAS Catalog
(Eric Flesch 2009-2014) containing more than one million
(1,253,131 to be exact) likely quasars is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
RXTE Reveals the Cloudy Cores of Active Galaxies (19 Feb 2014)
Using data from NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE),
an international team
(Markowitz et al. 2014, MNRAS, in press) has uncovered a
dozen instances where X-ray signals from active galaxies dimmed as a result of
a cloud of gas moving across our line of sight.
Suzaku/HXD Also Operational (19 Feb 2014)
The Suzaku team has returned the HXD instrument to normal operation. Suzaku is now carrying out GO observations using both the XIS and the HXD.
NASA's NuSTAR Untangles Mystery of How Stars Explode (19 Feb 2014)
NuSTAR observations of the supernova remnant Cas A is helping to unravel one of the biggest mysteries in astronomy, how massive stars explode.
Chandra Sees Runaway Pulsar Firing an Extraordinary Jet (18 Feb 2014)
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has seen a fast-moving pulsar
escaping from a supernova remnant while spewing out a record-breaking jet - the
longest of any object in the Milky Way galaxy - of high-energy particles. The
peculiar behavior of the pulsar, known as IGR J11014-6103, can likely be traced
back to its birth in the collapse and subsequent explosion of a massive star.
Globular Cluster Systems in Galaxies Catalog (12 Feb 2014)
This catalog containing data on the globular cluster systems of
422 galaxies, from Harris et al. (2013, ApJ, 772, 82),
is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Swift CALDB Data updated (12 Feb 2014)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the SC (update version 20140211)...
A New Catalog of Globular Clusters in the Milky Way (11 Feb 2014)
The latest version of the McMaster catalog containing data on 157
globular clusters in our galaxy,
from Harris (1996, AJ, 112, 1487 and 2010, eprint arXiv 1012.3224),
is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Milky Way Star Clusters Catalog (11 Feb 2014)
The MWSC catalog containing data on 3,006 stellar clusters in
our galaxy,
from Kharchenko et al. (2012, A&A, 543, A156; 2013, A&A, 558, A53),
is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
U.S. XMM-Newton GOF Image Gallery Launched (07 Feb 2014)
Science images created using ESAS tasks in the SAS
Massive Young Star-Forming Complex Study in IR & X-Rays (MYStIX)
IR-Excess Source List (07 Feb 2014)
The MYStIX IRES source catalog for 18 star-forming
complexes containing 20,719 sources, 8,686 of them probable complex members,
from Povich et al. (2013, ApJS, 209, 31), is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
3rd NuSTAR Public Data Release (05 Feb 2014)
104 New NuSTAR data sets from the first year of observations
were released to the public NuSTAR archive on February 5th. NuSTAR data are
accessible via the usual HEASARC archive interfaces, i.e.,
Xamin
and
Browse,
by querying the NuSTAR master table (numaster). NuSTAR data can also be
accessed from the HEASARC FTP site.
XSPEC 12.8.1k Patch Released (5 Feb 2014)
Updated February 4, 2014. Fix for reading table model files.
Massive Young Star-Forming Complex Study in IR & X-Rays (MYStIX)
Mid-IR Source List (04 Feb 2014)
The MYStIX Spitzer IRAC source list for 10 star-forming
complexes containing 783,337 mid-IR sources (Kuhn et al. 2013, ApJS, 209, 29)
is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Suzaku Observations Resumed (4 Feb 2014)
The Suzaku team has returned the attitude control system and the XIS instrument to normal mode, and re-started GO observations. It will probably take another several weeks to resume observations using the HXD.
Suzaku CALDB updated (04 Feb 2014)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20140203) ...
Swift CALDB Data updated (03 Feb 2014)
The Swift Caldb has been updated for the XRT (update version 20140120)...
Massive Young Star-Forming Complex Study in IR & X-Rays (MYStIX)
X-Ray Source List (31 Jan 2014)
The MYStIX catalog of Chandra X-ray sources in 10 star-forming
complexes containing 11,315 sources (Kuhn et al. 2013, ApJS, 209, 27) is now
available in Browse and
Xamin.
Complete Chandra Galactic Bulge Survey X-Ray Point Source Catalog (31 Jan 2014)
The final version of this catalog containing 1658 Chandra
X-ray sources in 12 sq. deg of the Galactic Bulge (Jonker et al. 2011,
ApJS, 194, 18 and 2014, ApJS, 210, 18) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
NuSTARDAS v1.3.1 Released (31 Jan 2014)
Released January 28, 2014, NuSTARDAS v1.3.1 was included in the
HEASoft 6.15.1 release. NuSTARDAS v1.3.1 users should make sure to use
version 20131223 of the NuSTAR caldb. An updated version of the NuSTARDAS
Users Guide (v.1.5) is also available here.
HEASoft 6.15.1 released (30 Jan 2014)
Released January 28, 2014; updates to
NuSTAR mission software (nustardas v. 1.3.1) and the Swift XRT analysis sotware, other changes. Note that nustardas v 1.3.1 requires version 20131007 or later of the NuSTAR CALDB.
Updated IRAM Pico Veleta 30-m Telescope Observation Log (29 Jan 2014)
The latest version of the IRAM 30-m telescope observing log
(Dan et al. 1991-2014, IRAM Newsletters) containing 216,770
observations completed through 2012 Dec 31 as well as the latest version of
the
IRAM PdB Interferometer observing log containing
16,930 observations through 2012 Sep 30 are now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Reminder: Upcoming Deadline for the COSPAR 2014
Assembly and Scientific Events (24 Jan 2014)
Abstracts for COSPAR 2014 to be held August 2 to 10 in Moscow
must be submitted by February 14th.
South Polar Telescope Sunyaev-Zeldovich Survey Point Source Catalog (23 Jan 2014)
This catalog of 1,545 mm-wave sources detected at 95, 150
and/or 220 GHz (from Mocanu et al. 2013, ApJ, 779, 61) is now available in
Browse and Xamin.
Suzaku Observations Interrupted (23 Jan 2014)
Secular degradation of on-board batteries led to a safehold on January 16. The team in Japan is in the process of restoring normal operation.
Planck-ATCA Co-eval Observations (PACO) Project Bright Sample
Catalog (17 Jan 2014)
This catalog of 1,004 observations at 4.5-40 GHz of 180
AT20G radio sources taken from the PACO Bright Sample
(Massardi et al. 2011, MNRAS, 415, 1597) as well as the catalog of
674 similar observations of 152 AT20G sources from the
PACO Faint Sample (Bonavera et al. 2011, MNRAS, 416,
559) are now available in Browse and Xamin.
NuSTAR CALDB Update (17 Jan 2014)
The NuSTAR CALibration DataBase was updated on January 17, 2014 (CALDB version 20131223). Because of the large size of some calibration files, for NuSTAR data processing and analysis we recommend downloading the NuSTAR CALDB and installing it locally, rather than accessing the NuSTAR CALDB at the HEASARC remotely.
Nature Letter: MWC 656, A Be-type Star with a Black-Hole Companion (16 Jan 2014)
Casares et al. (2014, Nature, 505, 378) report observations of an
accretion disk line mirroring the orbit of the Be star MWC 656, the candidate
counterpart of the γ-ray source AGL J2241+4454, which
indicate that a black hole of 3.8 to 6.9 solar masses orbits this star. The
non-detection of X-rays suggests there is a radiatively inefficient accretion
flow onto the black hole.
VLA Extended-Chandra Deep Field-South Source Classification
Catalog (15 Jan 2014)
This catalog of classifications of 883 radio sources detected
at 1.4 GHz by the VLA in a deep survey of the E-CDF-S field
(from Bonzini et al. 2013, MNRAS, 436, 3759) is now available in Browse and
Xamin.
Swift CALDB updated (13 Jan 2014)
The Swift CALDB has been updated for the XRT (update version 20131220)...
Suzaku CALDB updated (13 Jan 2014)
The Suzaku CALDB has been updated for the XIS (update version 20131231) ...
Dead Star and Distant Black Holes Dazzle in X-Rays (09 Jan 2014)
Two new views from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, showcase the telescope's talent for spying objects near and far. One image shows the energized remains of a dead star, a structure nicknamed the "Hand of God" after its resemblance to a hand. Another image shows distant black holes buried in blankets of dust.
Death By Black Hole In Small Galaxy? (09 Jan 2014)
A bright, long duration flare may be the first recorded event of
a black hole destroying a star in a dwarf galaxy. The evidence comes from two
independent studies (Maksym et al. (2013) and Donato et al. (2013))
using data from the Chandra, EUVE, and XMM-Newton observatories.
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