Compact survey of X-ray astronomy

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6306094

Gursky, H

The development of X-ray astronomy began in 1962. At that time the sun was known to be a strong and variable X-ray source and the general features of the radio sky were known. The first significant cosmic X-ray results were obtained from an Aerobee sounding rocket flown on June 12, 1962. The first small satellite dedicated to X-ray astronomy was SAS-1, renamed Uhuru. The results from this satellite firmly established X-ray astronomy as a substantial discipline. A number of strong galactic sources were found to be pulsing in X-rays with short periods. A number of other small satellites, American and European, were launched in the years following the launch of Uhuru. The latest stage of X-ray astronomy began with HEAO-B, renamed The Einstein Observatory after its launch. An X-ray focussing optics was used to produce genuine images of fields in the sky. Attention is given to the characteristics of neutron stars, common stars, clusters of galaxies, the diffuse X-ray background, and future prospects. 14 references.

• OSTI ID: 6306094
• Report Number(s): CONF-8303168-
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640103* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
BACKGROUND RADIATION
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
FLUX DENSITY
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
NEUTRON STARS
RADIANT FLUX DENSITY
RADIATIONS
STARS
SUN
SURVEYS