The Beautiful Universe

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The Beautiful Universe: Chandra in HD (Episode 1).

Since its launch on July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-ray Observatory has been NASA's flagship mission for X-ray astronomy, taking its place in the fleet of "Great Observatories."

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NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is a telescope specially designed to detect X-ray emission from very hot regions of the Universe such as exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and matter around black holes. Because X-rays are absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, Chandra must orbit above it, up to an altitude of 139,000 km (86,500 mi) in space.

The Smithsonian's Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, MA, hosts the Chandra X-ray Center which operates the satellite, processes the data, and distributes it to scientists around the world for analysis. The Center maintains an extensive public web site about the science results and an education program.

Chandra carries four very sensitive mirrors nested inside each other. The energetic X-rays strike the insides of the hollow shells and are focussed onto electronic detectors at the end of the 9.2- m (30-ft.) optical bench. Depending on which detector is used, very detailed images or spectra of the cosmic source can be made and analyzed.

Chandra has imaged the spectacular, glowing remains of exploded stars, and taken spectra showing the dispersal of elements. Chandra has observed the region around the supermassive black hole in the center of our Milky Way, and found black holes across the Universe.

Chandra has traced the separation of dark matter from normal matter in the collision of galaxies in a cluster and is contributing to both dark matter and dark energy studies. As its mission continues, Chandra will continue to discover startling new science about our high-energy Universe.

• http://chandra.harvard.edu/
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Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• chandra
• reveals
• beautiful
• universe
• NASA
• x-ray
• observatories
• mission
• astronomy
• space
• telescopes
• stars
• galaxies
• milky
• way
• solar
• systems
• dark
• matter
• energy
• black
• holes

[carolinelandry75]

Even more mindblowing, is to contemplate that each of us is made of cosmic matter that has been around for billions of years (at least) - possibly for all eternity, and that the matter which makes up our bodies is constantly being recycled back into the universe. We truly are a part of the cosmos, and when we die, our bodies will continue to to be a part of this vast universe. It's like being immortal..... Absolutely mind-blowing.... To feel so small, but know how connected we all are.

[speccwolf]

Not a fan of imaginary friends.

[SleepBoySleeps]

Fun fact:

When you buy your gf a gold neckless or earring, and she asks where did you get it from?

tell her that 4 billion years ago a star exploded and this is what came out from the inside of its heart, and now your giving it to her.

gold is very underestimated.

[ThatBigBad]

I wonder if matter has been here forever... Or something...Something made it happen...But if there was nothing before it couldn't be possible... It's all so weird, but interesting.

[guitarplayer4real]

Great stuff!!! Galileo would be amazed if he could see through even my humble telescopes and equipment, we've come a long ways.

[CoN0R115]

@Herwin41 God is just a pathetic excuse most humans use for a quick, easy, comforting explanation as to why we exist, and that everything is not left to pure chance, and that we will 'live forever'.

The longer you remain atheist, the more hilarious the idea of religion becomes.

[jackycck2222]

Universe is the most beautiful in all...

[SoaringTrumpet]

What a payoff at 1:42. This deserves humanity's awe.

[sarevor]

Wow, creation is beautiful!

[DutchNordic]

The universe itself is the best proof that religions are man-made.

[Herwin41]

God is just ultimately good to all of us..

[timen1986]

i advise you to watch this in HD

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watch?v=kZ6ZXi-yDCc

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its great :)