(NASA / CXC / SAO / IXPE)
The new X-ray space observatory IXPE has transmitted to Earth the first scientific data.
The astronomers have built a map of the X-ray intensity from the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A with the information.
It is expected that scientists will soon create a map of the polarization of X-ray emission from the nebula using the telescope, according to the NASA website.
IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) was launched into space at the end of last year and operates in Earth orbit at an altitude of 600 kilometers.
The task of the observatory is to measure the polarization of X-rays from pulsars, magnetars, plerions, binary systems with black holes, active galactic nuclei, quasars and supernova remnants.
Thus, astrophysicists want to learn more about the processes associated with such objects.
The first target of IXPE observations was Cassiopeia A, the remnant of the explosion of a massive star (about 16 times heavier than the Sun), which is located at a distance of 11 thousand light years from Earth.
The light from the explosion reached us about 325 years ago.
The expanding nebula is now estimated to be ten light-years across, with a neutron star at its center.
IXPE observed the nebula from January 11 to 18, 2022.
Scientists have already built a map of the X-ray intensity from the remnant using the collected data,
However, the data from polarimetric observations have yet to be analyzed.
This is expected to allow astrophysicists to create the first X-ray polarization map of a supernova remnant and to understand the mechanisms by which radiation is generated from it.
Source:
NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ixpe/news/nasa-s-ixpe-sends-first-science-image.html