Evolution of x-ray astronomy

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6424173

Rossj, B

The evolution of X-ray astronomy up to the launching of the Einstein observatory is presented. The evaluation proceeded through the following major steps: (1) discovery of an extrasolar X-ray source, Sco X-1, orders of magnitude stronger than astronomers believed might exist (2) identification of a strong X-ray source with the Crab Nebula (3) identification of Sco X-1 with a faint, peculiar optical object (4) demonstration that X-ray stars are binary systems, each consisting of a collapsed object accreting matter from an ordinary star (5) discovery of X-ray bursts (6) discovery of exceedingly strong X-ray emission from active galaxies, quasars and clusters of galaxies (7) demonstration that the principal X-ray source is a hot gas filling the space between galaxies.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6424173
• Report Number(s): NASA-CR-168703
• 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
ASTROPHYSICS
BINARY STARS
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
CRAB NEBULA
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
GALAXIES
NEBULAE
QUASARS
STAR CLUSTERS
STARS
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
SUPERNOVAE
VARIABLE STARS