NASA and Japan's X-ray satellite space 'scope sends first snaps of distant galaxies
(2024/03/06)
- Reference: 1709688426
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/03/06/japans_xrism_graduates_to_nominal/
- Source link:
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced on Monday that the X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) – its joint mission with NASA – has transitioned into nominal operations.
XRISM is a space telescope that uses X-rays to investigate distant stars. While XRISM is not as sophisticated as the James Webb telescope, it is a significant advance in X-ray astronomy – and as those rays have a shorter wavelength than the infrared light the Webb watches, the Japanese 'scope offers us a different view of the universe.
The spacecraft is currently conducting an initial calibration and performance verification operation, and will begin astronomical observations based on research proposals in August, JAXA [1]announced on Monday.
[2]
The European Space Agency (ESA) is one of the orgs that will use XRISM, having [3]secured eight percent of the observing time in exchange for providing hardware and scientific advice.
[4]
[5]
JAXA reported that XRISM had "achieved excellent instrument performance in orbit, including spectral performance that exceeds the initial target, and is expected to bring about a variety of discoveries in the future."
The commissioning period – the time during which mission boffins verified that the satellite's onboard equipment was all working five by five before commencing X-ray observations – lasted three months.
[6]Japan's 'Moon sniper' and its two ejectable landers make it into space
[7]Japan schedules August launch for 'Moon Sniper' lander
[8]Japan's SLIM unexpectedly wakes up on Moon after month-long nap
[9]NASA's satellite pit stop project runs out of gas
To show off the 'scope's abilities, JAXA released two photos captured by XRISM.
The first is a graph of the X-ray spectrum of a galaxy cluster 240 million light years away called Perseus. The measurements of plasma temperature and velocity were taken by XRISM's onboard soft X-ray spectrometer, dubbed Resolve. According to JAXA, the shot shows how clusters of galaxies form and evolve.
[10]
In the background of the X-ray energy plot, JAXA placed a composite image of X-rays, visible light and radio wave near the observation area.
[11]
XRISM's take on the Perseus Galaxy Cluster – Click to enlarge
XRISM only has the ability to observe X-rays above 1.8keV, rather than the intended 300eV, because a protective shutter covering the Resolve instrument's detector [12]malfunctioned and will not open. If you've ever got back from a holiday and discovered you left your lens cap on for half the photos, you'll know how JAXA feels about that.
The second image was taken by XRISM's onboard soft X-ray imager, Xtend. The image shows the remnants of a supernova that is believed to have exploded in AD 1006, and is therefore named SN 1006. Since then, it has grown to a diameter of 65 light years and is expanding at a speed of 5,000 kilometers per second.
[13]
XRISM's Xtend image SN 1066 – Click to enlarge
XRISM hitched a ride into space along with JAXA's [14]Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on a Mitsubishi H-IIA vehicle launched last September.
SLIM landed on the Moon in January in a suboptimal position, which caused trouble for its solar panels and power supply operations. But the lander survived a long lunar night and resumed limited operations. It's currently hibernating again. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2024/03/20240304-1_e.html
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Zef4d0QwggdJBRC2hUDWTAAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://twitter.com/esascience/status/1764571348255289495
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zef4d0QwggdJBRC2hUDWTAAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zef4d0QwggdJBRC2hUDWTAAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/07/jaxa_xrism_slim_launch_success/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/12/jaxa_slim_xrism_august_launch/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/27/jaxa_slim_moon_lander_awakens/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/04/nasa_osam1_satellite_servicing/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zef4d0QwggdJBRC2hUDWTAAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://regmedia.co.uk/2024/03/05/xrism_perseus_cluster.jpg
[12] https://science.nasa.gov/missions/xrism/nasa-jaxa-xrism-mission-reveals-its-first-look-at-x-ray-cosmos/
[13] https://regmedia.co.uk/2024/03/05/xrism_supernova_1066.jpg
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/27/jaxa_slim_moon_lander_awakens/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
XRISM is a space telescope that uses X-rays to investigate distant stars. While XRISM is not as sophisticated as the James Webb telescope, it is a significant advance in X-ray astronomy – and as those rays have a shorter wavelength than the infrared light the Webb watches, the Japanese 'scope offers us a different view of the universe.
The spacecraft is currently conducting an initial calibration and performance verification operation, and will begin astronomical observations based on research proposals in August, JAXA [1]announced on Monday.
[2]
The European Space Agency (ESA) is one of the orgs that will use XRISM, having [3]secured eight percent of the observing time in exchange for providing hardware and scientific advice.
[4]
[5]
JAXA reported that XRISM had "achieved excellent instrument performance in orbit, including spectral performance that exceeds the initial target, and is expected to bring about a variety of discoveries in the future."
The commissioning period – the time during which mission boffins verified that the satellite's onboard equipment was all working five by five before commencing X-ray observations – lasted three months.
[6]Japan's 'Moon sniper' and its two ejectable landers make it into space
[7]Japan schedules August launch for 'Moon Sniper' lander
[8]Japan's SLIM unexpectedly wakes up on Moon after month-long nap
[9]NASA's satellite pit stop project runs out of gas
To show off the 'scope's abilities, JAXA released two photos captured by XRISM.
The first is a graph of the X-ray spectrum of a galaxy cluster 240 million light years away called Perseus. The measurements of plasma temperature and velocity were taken by XRISM's onboard soft X-ray spectrometer, dubbed Resolve. According to JAXA, the shot shows how clusters of galaxies form and evolve.
[10]
In the background of the X-ray energy plot, JAXA placed a composite image of X-rays, visible light and radio wave near the observation area.
[11]
XRISM's take on the Perseus Galaxy Cluster – Click to enlarge
XRISM only has the ability to observe X-rays above 1.8keV, rather than the intended 300eV, because a protective shutter covering the Resolve instrument's detector [12]malfunctioned and will not open. If you've ever got back from a holiday and discovered you left your lens cap on for half the photos, you'll know how JAXA feels about that.
The second image was taken by XRISM's onboard soft X-ray imager, Xtend. The image shows the remnants of a supernova that is believed to have exploded in AD 1006, and is therefore named SN 1006. Since then, it has grown to a diameter of 65 light years and is expanding at a speed of 5,000 kilometers per second.
[13]
XRISM's Xtend image SN 1066 – Click to enlarge
XRISM hitched a ride into space along with JAXA's [14]Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) on a Mitsubishi H-IIA vehicle launched last September.
SLIM landed on the Moon in January in a suboptimal position, which caused trouble for its solar panels and power supply operations. But the lander survived a long lunar night and resumed limited operations. It's currently hibernating again. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2024/03/20240304-1_e.html
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Zef4d0QwggdJBRC2hUDWTAAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://twitter.com/esascience/status/1764571348255289495
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zef4d0QwggdJBRC2hUDWTAAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
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[6] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/07/jaxa_xrism_slim_launch_success/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/12/jaxa_slim_xrism_august_launch/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/27/jaxa_slim_moon_lander_awakens/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/04/nasa_osam1_satellite_servicing/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zef4d0QwggdJBRC2hUDWTAAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://regmedia.co.uk/2024/03/05/xrism_perseus_cluster.jpg
[12] https://science.nasa.gov/missions/xrism/nasa-jaxa-xrism-mission-reveals-its-first-look-at-x-ray-cosmos/
[13] https://regmedia.co.uk/2024/03/05/xrism_supernova_1066.jpg
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/27/jaxa_slim_moon_lander_awakens/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/