Einstein Observatory
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Einstein Observatory (HEAO-2) was the first fully imaging X-ray telescope put into space and the second of NASA's three High Energy Astrophysical Observatories. Named HEAO B before launch, the observatory's name was changed to honor Albert Einstein upon successfully attaining orbit.
[edit] Observatory and instruments
HEAO 2, launched 13 November, 1978 into a 23.5 deg inclination orbit, carried a single large grazing-incidence focusing X-ray telescope, providing unprecedented levels of sensitivity (hundreds of times better than previously achieved) and arc-second angular resolution of point sources and extended object, and operated over the 0.2 to 3.5 keV energy range. A suite of four focal plane instruments were provided:
- HRI, or High Resolution Imaging camera, 0.15-3 keV.
- IPC, or Imaging Proportional Counter, 0.4 to 4 keV.
- SSS, or Solid State Spectrometer, 0.5 to 4.5 keV.
- FPCS, or Bragg Focal Plane Crystal Spectrometer,
as well as a 1-20 keV Monitor Proportional Counter (MPC), a Broad Band Filter Spectrometer (BBFS), and an objective grating spectrometer (OGS). The spacecraft re-entered 25 March, 1982.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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