Credit: ESA
XMM-Newton: 25 Years of Discovery
The X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission, better known as XMM-Newton, was launched 25 years ago. With its three large X-ray mirrors, three imaging cameras, high-resolution reflection grating spectrometer, and optical monitor, XMM-Newton is a workhorse for X-ray astronomers, obtaining deep images and spectra of the X-ray, UV and optical universe. During the past 25 years XMM-Newton has produced an archive of more than one million X-ray sources, and generated breakthrough science. Some of the important science results made possible by XMM-Newton are the detection of emission from the distorted spacetime near supermassive black holes in the combined light of 100 distant galaxies; studies of massive star forming regions and stellar winds in collision; observations of neutron stars, including a strange, slowly-rotating pulsar; searching for mysterious signals of dark matter; and deep images of apparently empty sky revealing the X-ray activity of supermassive black holes in the early Universe. Happy birthday XMM-Newton and here's to many more to come.
Published: December 16, 2024
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Page Author: Dr. Michael F. Corcoran
Last modified Monday, 16-Dec-2024 09:23:48 EST