F,P,D Univers. About Chandra

Since its launch on July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-ray Observatory has been NASA's flagship mission for X-ray astronomy, taking its place in the fleet of "Great Observatories."
Who we are

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is a telescope specially designed to detect X-ray emission from very hot regions of the Universe such as exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and matter around black holes. Because X-rays are absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, Chandra must orbit above it, up to an altitude of 139,000 km (86,500 mi) in space. The Smithsonian's Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, MA, hosts the Chandra X-ray Center which operates the satellite, processes the data, and distributes it to scientists around the world for analysis. The Center maintains an extensive public web site about the science results and an education program.

What we do ?

Chandra carries four very sensitive mirrors nested inside each other. The energetic X-rays strike the insides of the hollow shells and are focussed onto electronic detectors at the end of the 9.2- m (30-ft.) optical bench. Depending on which detector is used, very detailed images or spectra of the cosmic source can be made and analyzed.

What we are excited about ?

Chandra has imaged the spectacular, glowing remains of exploded stars, and taken spectra showing the dispersal of elements. Chandra has observed the region around the supermassive black hole in the center of our Milky Way, and found black holes across the Universe. Chandra has traced the separation of dark matter from normal matter in the collision of galaxies in a cluster and is contributing to both dark matter and dark energy studies. As its mission continues, Chandra will continue to discover startling new science about our high-energy Universe. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.

Chandra Mission ?

Chandra's First Decade of Discovery
Explore the Universe with Chandra and discover Chandra's most significant discoveries.
Chandra Mission Overview
Chandra is designed to observe X-rays from high-energy regions of the Universe.
Tracking Chandra
Follow this tutorial to see just what the Chandra orbit looks like.
Google Earth & WorldWide Telescope
Immerse yourself in Chandra's X-ray Universe with Sky in Google Earth and Microsoft WorldWide Telescope.
Chandra Podcast
Downloadable video content for your stargazers on the go.
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (Chandra)
Discover the man behind the name, including which area of study he was awarded the Nobel prize for.

How The C-X-O Got its Name
See the details of the naming contest of the contest of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and winning essays.

Fun Facts
Learn some interesting trivia about the Chandra X-ray Observatory in a question & answer format.

Top 10 Facts About Chandra

Did you know Chandra was the largest satellite the Shuttle Columbia ever launched?
Chandra Mission

Chandra Chronicles
Read about the people and science involved in making Chandra discoveries.
New & Noteworthy
The latest additions, updates, announcements & other special features.



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