Hitomi Stories
Hitomi Mission Glimpses Cosmic ‘Recipe’ for the Nearby Universe
Before its brief mission ended unexpectedly in March 2016, Japan’s Hitomi X-ray observatory captured exceptional information about the motions of hot gas in the Perseus galaxy cluster. Now, thanks to unprecedented detail provided by an instrument developed jointly by NASA…
Hitomi Mission Charts Hot Winds of a Galaxy Cluster for the First Time
Measurements of unprecedented detail returned by Japan’s Hitomi satellite have allowed scientists to track the motion of X-ray-emitting gas at the heart of the Perseus cluster of galaxies for the first time. The results showcase the long-awaited premiere of a…
New X-ray Space Observatory to Study Black Holes and History of Galaxy Clusters
Editor’s note, Feb. 17, 2016: ASTRO-H launched successfully on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016, at 3:45 a.m. EST. The satellite subsequently deployed its solar arrays and is currently functioning normally. ASTRO-H will provide astronomers with a new view of the high-energy universe and…
Suzaku Finds Common Chemical Makeup at Largest Cosmic Scales
A new survey of hot, X-ray-emitting gas in the Virgo galaxy cluster shows that the elements needed to make stars, planets and people were evenly distributed across millions of light-years early in cosmic history, more than 10 billion years ago.…
Suzaku, Herschel Link a Black-hole ‘Wind’ to a Galactic Gush of Star-forming Gas
By combining observations from the Japan-led Suzaku X-ray satellite and the European Space Agency’s infrared Herschel Space Observatory, scientists have connected a fierce “wind” produced near a galaxy’s monster black hole to an outward torrent of cold gas a thousand…
Iron ‘Fingerprints’ Point Astronomers to Supernova Suspects
An international team of astronomers using data from the Japan-led Suzaku X-ray observatory has developed a powerful technique for analyzing supernova remnants, the expanding clouds of debris left behind when stars explode. The method provides scientists with a way to…