Chandra X-ray Center

Chandra Xray Observatory

The Chandra X-ray Center is operated for NASA by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and developed with funding from NASA under contract NAS8-03060.

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Chandra Facts

Chandra Xray Observatory facts

The Chandra X-ray Observatory is the world's most powerful X-ray telescope. It has eight-times greater resolution and is able to detect sources more than 20-times fainter than any previous X-ray telescope.

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Worldbook at NASA

Solar system collage

Solar System: A group of heavenly bodies consisting of a star, planets and other objects orbiting around it.

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Chandra Latest News, Features and Photos

Composite image of 4C29.30, a galaxy located some 850 million light years from Earth

Black Hole-Powered Jets Plow Into Galaxy

Chandra observes how the intense gravity of a supermassive black hole can be tapped to generate immense power.

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A giant gas cloud, or halo, located in system NGC 6240

Colossal Hot Cloud Envelopes Colliding Galaxies

Scientists have used Chandra to make a detailed study of an enormous cloud of hot gas enveloping two large, colliding galaxies.

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Supernova remnant SN 1006

X-Ray View of A Thousand-Year-Old Cosmic Tapestry

A new image of SN 1006 from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory reveals this supernova remnant in exquisite detail.

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Star formation in NGC 602, part of the wing region of the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy

Under the 'Wing' of the Small Magellanic Cloud

Chandra looks under the "wing" of the dwarf galaxy Small Magellanic Cloud to study the life cycle of stars and the gas lying in between them.

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Flickr: Chandra's 'Greatest Hits'

Overview: Chandra X-ray Observatory

    The Chandra X-ray Observatory is part of NASA's fleet of "Great Observatories" along with the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitizer Space Telescope and the now deorbited Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Chandra allows scientists from around the world to obtain X-ray images of exotic environments to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. The Chandra X-ray Observatory program is managed by NASA's Marshall Center for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

    The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) in Cambridge, Mass., is responsible for the conduct of the day-to-day flight operations and science activities from the Operations Control Center and Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) facilities. The CXC Web site is the primary resource for information on the Chanda X-ray Observatory mission. › View Site

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Chandra Contact Information

    For media support regarding the Chandra X-ray Observatory, please contact:

    Megan Watzke
    Chandra X-ray Center
    Cambridge, Mass.
    Phone: 617-496-7998
    mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu

    Janet Anderson
    Marshall Space Flight Center
    Huntsville, Ala.
    Phone: 256-544-0034
    Janet.L.Anderson@nasa.gov