This year we are celebrating a
milestone anniversary
of XMM-Newton (XMM), which was
launched
1999 December 10 from Kourou, French Guiana. Worldwide interest
in the mission remains high, while
continued improvements in observation flexibility, software, and calibration
provide steady support for guest observers:
XMM data have been used in over 5,900 refereed papers.
Recent science highlights include: studies of the missing baryons in the Universe, the X-ray chimney connecting the galactic center to the Fermi bubbles, detecting relativistic reverberation and QPOs in tidal disruption events, and discovering a new ULX pulsar class.
XMM's source catalogs are growing in value as deeper, wide-field multiwavelength surveys become
available.
Large serendipitous and slew catalogs are increasingly robust.
More than 5,000 scientists have used XMM.
XMM has detected over a half million X-ray sources.
Anniversary Video: Scientists who received their PhDs using XMM-Newton discuss X-ray astronomy, their inspiration, and ways that XMM-Newton has impacted their careers.
The XMM-Newton Guest Observer Facility
XMM-Newton, the X-ray Multi-Mirror
Mission, is the second cornerstone of the Horizon 2000 program of the
European Space Agency (ESA).
XMM-Newton was launched on December 10 1999 at 14:32 GMT (09:32 EST).
The observatory consists of three coaligned high throughput 7.5m focal
length telescopes with 6 arc second FWHM (15 arc second HPD) angular
resolution. With its large collecting area and X-ray and optical/UV bands,
XMM greatly facilitates studies of objects ranging from clusters of
galaxies to compact objects, and their inherent physical attibutes.
Besides having funded elements of the
XMM-Newton instrument package, NASA also provides the
NASA Guest Observer Facility (GOF) at
the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and funds a Guest Observer (GO)
program to support the usage of XMM by the U.S. scientific community.
The GOF provides a clearing
house for project-generated technical information and analysis software as
well as budget support for U.S. astronomers who apply for
XMM-Newton observation time.
The US GOF plays a vital role in the compilation of the XMM Science Analysis System (SAS) and supports US
GOs in their installation and use of SAS.
The GOF has developed accurate and precise algorithms for modeling the EPIC particle background
in the Extended Source Analysis Software (ESAS) SAS tools.
The GOF continues to streamline data reduction.
XMM-Newton images over a 30 arc minute field of view with
moderate spectral resolution. The European Photon Imaging Camera
(EPIC) observes in the 0.2-12 keV band and consists of two MOS
and one PN CCD arrays. High-resolution spectral
information (E/dE~300 from 0.4-2.5 keV) is provided by the Reflection Grating
Spectrometer (RGS) that deflects half of the beam on two of the X-ray
telescopes. The observatory also has a coaligned 30 cm optical/UV
telescope, the Optical Monitor (OM). More detailed information on
the instruments can be found under Focal Plane
Instrumentation in these pages and in the XMM-Newton Users' Handbook
(GSFC or ESAC links).
These pages are intended for members of the scientific community.
For members of the general public, or those interested in general
astronomy/astrophysics information please go to our
Education and Public Outreach site.
XMM-Newton AO-19 Solicitation Released(20 Aug 2019)
XMM-Newton observing proposals are solicited in response to the Nineteenth Announcement of Opportunity.
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.
XMM-Newton AO-18 Solicitation Released(22 Aug 2018)
XMM-Newton observing proposals are solicited in response to the Eighteenth Announcement of Opportunity.
