Chandra

Chandra X-ray Observatory

active Mission

The Telescope

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About Chandra

10 Facts About Chandra

Chandra detects X-ray emissions from very hot regions of the universe such as exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and matter around black holes.

Type

Space Telescope

Launch

July 23, 1999

Target

Universe

Objective

Detect X-ray emissions

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NASA/JPL-Caltech/VTAD

Chandra Stories

Explore All Chandra X-Ray Observatory Stories

Article

5 min read

NASA’s Chandra, Hubble Tune Into ‘Flame-Throwing’ Guitar Nebula

Article

4 min read

Astronomers Find Early Fast-Feeding Black Hole Using NASA Telescopes

5 min read

Planets Beware: NASA Unburies Danger Zones of Star Cluster

Image Article

5 min read

Black Hole Destroys Star, Goes After Another, NASA Missions Find

Image Article

4 min read

NASA’s Chandra Finds Galaxy Cluster That Crosses the Streams

Image Article

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The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion. Speckled across both portions is a starfield, showing innumerable stars of many sizes. The smallest of these are small, distant, and faint points of light. The largest of these appear larger, closer, brighter, and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes. The upper portion of the image is blueish, and has wispy translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below. The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque. The stars vary in color, the majority of which have a blue or orange hue. The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges, peaks, and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range. Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view.

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