X-ray astronomy

X-ray astronomy studies celestial objects and phenomena by detecting X-rays emitted from space. It reveals hot, energetic environments largely invisible to optical telescopes.

X-ray telescope: A telescope designed to collect and focus X-rays from celestial sources. Its grazing-incidence mirrors redirect X-rays that ordinary mirrors cannot reflect at steep angles.
Black hole: A region of spacetime whose gravity prevents anything, including light, from escaping beyond its event horizon. X-rays from surrounding hot gas trace matter falling toward black holes.
Rocket astronomy: Astronomical observation using instruments carried above most or all of Earth’s atmosphere by rockets. Early X-ray measurements used short rocket flights to escape atmospheric absorption.
Optical astronomy: Astronomy that observes celestial objects using visible light. Optical light often traces cooler stars and structures, while X-rays highlight hotter, more energetic regions.
Grazing-incidence optics: Optical systems that reflect radiation at shallow angles to focus it. This mirror geometry makes astronomical X-ray imaging possible.
Neutron star: An ultradense stellar remnant composed mainly of neutrons. Its surface, magnetic field, and accretion flows can produce distinctive X-ray signals.
Aerobee rocket: A family of sounding rockets used for atmospheric and space research. An Aerobee flight carried the detector that discovered the first cosmic X-ray source.
Radio astronomy: Astronomy that studies celestial objects through their radio-frequency emission. Radio observations trace phenomena such as jets and magnetic fields that complement X-ray measurements.
X-ray detector: A device that registers X-ray photons and measures properties such as their energy or arrival time. Detectors turn incoming photons into the images, spectra, and timing data used in X-ray astronomy.
Supernova remnant: The expanding debris and shocked surroundings left by a supernova explosion. X-rays map hot shock-heated gas and the elements forged in stellar explosions.

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