Exosat: Europe's New X-ray Satellite
Abstract
Preliminary data gathered by the European Space Agency's X-ray astronomy satellite (Exosat) are discussed. Exosat is equipped with two low-energy X-ray telescopes, two-medium energy occultation detectors, and a gas-scintillation proportional counter. The instruments cover an energy range from 40 to 50,000 electron volts, corresponding to wavelengths between 300 and 0.25 A. Travelling in an orbit with an apogee of 190,000 km and a perigee of 350 km, Exosat has been transmitting data from observations of X-ray-emitting neutron stars in binary systems, an X-ray pulsar (4U 1626-67), and two magnetic cataclysmic variable stars, GK Persei (Nova Persei 1901), and DQ Herculis.
- Publication:
-
Sky and Telescope
- Pub Date:
- May 1984
- Bibcode:
- 1984S&T....67..397C
- Keywords:
-
- European Space Programs;
- Exosat Satellite;
- Spaceborne Astronomy;
- X Ray Astronomy;
- Binary Stars;
- Data Integration;
- Neutron Stars;
- Pulsars;
- Variable Stars;
- X Ray Sources;
- Astronomy