First image from IXPE
NASA today released the first image produced from its new X-ray space telescope, the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE).
The photo to the right is that image, showing the intensity of X-rays coming from the supernovae remnant Cassiopeia A. From the caption:
Colors ranging from cool purple and blue to red and hot white correspond with the increasing brightness of the X-rays. The image was created using X-ray data collected by IXPE between Jan. 11-18.
Though Chandra also detects objects in X-rays, IXPE will also detect their polarization, or the way the rays are oriented as they travel through space.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
NASA today released the first image produced from its new X-ray space telescope, the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE).
The photo to the right is that image, showing the intensity of X-rays coming from the supernovae remnant Cassiopeia A. From the caption:
Colors ranging from cool purple and blue to red and hot white correspond with the increasing brightness of the X-rays. The image was created using X-ray data collected by IXPE between Jan. 11-18.
Though Chandra also detects objects in X-rays, IXPE will also detect their polarization, or the way the rays are oriented as they travel through space.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
speaking of polarization….
Brian Keating & Lex Fridman
“Why Elon Musk Should Fund Astronomy” (1-22-22)
https://youtu.be/xOPMPqMnwaM
0:35
“420 is the number…funding secured…”
IXPE has not gotten much attention, but I think it sounds fantastic! It is the first ever telescope that can observe polarized X-rays. In strong magnetic fields, electrons emit photons at X-ray energies. And they are polarized according to the magnetic field lines. So this telescope will see the orientation of strong magnetic fields. I think primarily those caused by supermassiv black holes.
A new addition to the range of so called “multi-messenger” astronomy spanning over domains like the strength, spectra and time variation of light, neutrinos, gravitational waves. And of course locally in the Solar system, the physical sampling of objects, seismometry and weather on Mars and one day probably sampling of interstellar comets.
Magnetic fields seems to be the physics that is hardest to work theoretically in astrophysics. So breakthrough data there has great potential. Often when there’s a new mystery in astrophysics, for example Fast Radio Bursts, magnetars, i.e. extremely magnetized neutron stars, is the usual suspect. But theoretical models don’t seem to keep up very well because it is really very difficult stuff.
Talking about magnetic fields, here’s an account of Nicolai Tesla’s 100 year prediction for society made in 1926. Some very striking hits, some misses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q81yDzD85lI
I like that YT-channel overall, Voices of the Past.