I present to your attention an overview of the best observatories in the world. These may be the largest, most modern and high-tech observatories located in amazing places, which allowed them to get into the top ten. Many of them, such as Mauna Kea in Hawaii, have already been mentioned in other articles, and many will become an unexpected discovery for the reader. So let's get to the list...
Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii
Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, atop Mauna Kea, MKO is the world's largest collection of optical, infrared, and precision astronomical equipment. The Mauna Kea Observatory building has more telescopes than any other building in the world. 
Very Large Telescope (VLT), Chile
The Very Large Telescope is a facility operated by the European Southern Observatory. It is located on the Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert, in northern Chile. The VLT actually consists of four separate telescopes, which are usually used separately but can be used together to achieve very high angular resolution. 
South Polar Telescope (SPT), Antarctica
A telescope with a diameter of 10 meters is located at the Amundsen-Scott Station, which is at the South Pole in Antarctica. SPT began its astronomical observations in early 2007. 
Yerk Observatory, USA
Founded way back in 1897, the Yerkes Observatory is not as high-tech as the previous observatories on this list. However, it is rightfully considered “the birthplace of modern astrophysics”. It is located in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, at an altitude of 334 meters. 
ORM Observatory, Canaries
The ORM Observatory (Roque de los Muchachos) is located at an altitude of 2,396 meters, making it one of the best locations for optical and infrared astronomy in the northern hemisphere. The observatory also has the world's largest aperture optical telescope. 
Arecibo in Puerto Rico
Opened in 1963, the Arecibo Observatory is a giant radio telescope in Puerto Rico. Up until 2011, the observatory was operated by Cornell University. The pride of Arecibo is the 305 meter radio telescope, which has one of the largest apertures in the world. The telescope is used for radio astronomy, aeronomy and radar astronomy. The telescope is also known for its participation in the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) project. 
Australian Astronomical Observatory
Located at an altitude of 1164 meters, AAO (Australian Astronomical Observatory) has two telescopes: the 3.9-meter Anglo-Australian Telescope and the 1.2-meter British Schmidt Telescope. 
University of Tokyo Observatory Atakama
Like the VLT and other telescopes, the University of Tokyo Observatory is also located in Chile's Atacama Desert. The observatory is located at the top of Cerro Chainantor, at an altitude of 5,640 meters, making it the highest astronomical observatory in the world. 
ALMA in the Atacama Desert
The ALMA (Atakama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Grid) Observatory is also located in the Atacama Desert, next to the Very Large Telescope and the Tokyo University Observatory. ALMA has a variety of 66, 12 and 7 meter radio telescopes. This is the result of cooperation between Europe, the USA, Canada, East Asia and Chile. More than a billion dollars was spent on the creation of the observatory. Of particular note is the most expensive of the currently existing telescopes, which is in service with ALMA. 
Astronomical Observatory of India (IAO)
Located at an altitude of 4,500 meters, the Astronomical Observatory of India is one of the highest in the world. It is operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore.
Details Category: The work of astronomers Posted on 10/11/2012 17:13 Views: 7430
An astronomical observatory is a research institution in which systematic observations of celestial bodies and phenomena are carried out.
Usually the observatory is built on an elevated area, where a good outlook opens up. The observatory is equipped with observation instruments: optical and radio telescopes, instruments for processing the results of observations: astrographs, spectrographs, astrophotometers and other devices for characterizing celestial bodies.
From the history of the observatory
It is difficult even to name the time when the first observatories appeared. Of course, these were primitive structures, but nevertheless, observations of heavenly bodies were carried out in them. The most ancient observatories are located in Assyria, Babylon, China, Egypt, Persia, India, Mexico, Peru and other states. The ancient priests, in fact, were the first astronomers, because they observed the starry sky.
An observatory dating back to the Stone Age. It is located near London. This building was both a temple and a place for astronomical observations - the interpretation of Stonehenge as a grand observatory of the Stone Age belongs to J. Hawkins and J. White. Assumptions that this is the oldest observatory are based on the fact that its stone slabs are installed in a certain order. It is well known that Stonehenge was a sacred place of the Druids - representatives of the priestly caste of the ancient Celts. Druids were very well versed in astronomy, for example, in the structure and movement of stars, the size of the Earth and planets, and various astronomical phenomena. About where they got this knowledge, science is not known. It is believed that they inherited them from the true builders of Stonehenge and, thanks to this, they had great power and influence.
Another ancient observatory was found on the territory of Armenia, built about 5 thousand years ago.
In the 15th century in Samarkand, the great astronomer Ulugbek built an outstanding observatory for its time, in which the main instrument was a huge quadrant for measuring the angular distances of stars and other bodies (read about this on our website: http://website/index.php/earth/rabota-astrnom/10-etapi- astronimii/12-sredneverovaya-astronomiya).
The first observatory in the modern sense of the word was the famous museum in Alexandria arranged by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Aristillus, Timocharis, Hipparchus, Aristarchus, Eratosthenes, Geminus, Ptolemy and others achieved unprecedented results here. Here, for the first time, instruments with divided circles began to be used. Aristarchus installed a copper circle in the plane of the equator and with its help observed directly the times of the passage of the Sun through the equinoxes. Hipparchus invented the astrolabe (an astronomical instrument based on the principle of stereographic projection) with two mutually perpendicular circles and diopters for observations. Ptolemy introduced quadrants and installed them with a plumb line. The transition from full circles to quadrants was, in fact, a step backwards, but the authority of Ptolemy kept quadrants on observatories until the time of Römer, who proved that full circles made observations more accurately; however, the quadrants were completely abandoned only at the beginning of the 19th century.
The first observatories of the modern type began to be built in Europe after the invention of the telescope in the 17th century. The first large state observatory - parisian. It was built in 1667. Along with quadrants and other instruments of ancient astronomy, large refracting telescopes were already used here. In 1675 opened Greenwich Royal Observatory in England, on the outskirts of London.
There are more than 500 observatories in the world.
Russian observatories
The first observatory in Russia was the private observatory of A.A. Lyubimov in Kholmogory, Arkhangelsk region, opened in 1692. In 1701, by decree of Peter I, an observatory was created at the Navigation School in Moscow. In 1839, the Pulkovo Observatory near St. Petersburg was founded, equipped with the most advanced instruments, which made it possible to obtain high-precision results. For this, the Pulkovo Observatory was named the astronomical capital of the world. Now there are more than 20 astronomical observatories in Russia, among them the Main (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory of the Academy of Sciences is the leading one.
Observatories of the world
Among foreign observatories, the largest are Greenwich (Great Britain), Harvard and Mount Palomar (USA), Potsdam (Germany), Krakow (Poland), Byurakan (Armenia), Vienna (Austria), Crimean (Ukraine), etc. Observatories of various countries share the results of observations and research, often work on the same program to develop the most accurate data.
The device of observatories
For modern observatories, a characteristic view is the building of a cylindrical or polyhedral shape. These are towers in which telescopes are installed. Modern observatories are equipped with optical telescopes located in closed domed buildings or radio telescopes. The light radiation collected by telescopes is recorded by photographic or photoelectric methods and analyzed to obtain information about distant astronomical objects. Observatories are usually located far from cities, in climatic zones with little cloud cover and, if possible, on high plateaus, where atmospheric turbulence is negligible and infrared radiation absorbed by the lower atmosphere can be studied.
Types of observatories
There are specialized observatories that work according to a narrow scientific program: radio astronomy, mountain stations for observing the Sun; some observatories are associated with observations made by astronauts from spacecraft and orbital stations.
Most of the infrared and ultraviolet range, as well as X-rays and gamma rays of cosmic origin, are inaccessible to observations from the Earth's surface. In order to study the Universe in these rays, it is necessary to take observation instruments into space. Until recently, extra-atmospheric astronomy was unavailable. Now it has become a rapidly developing branch of science. The results obtained with space telescopes, without the slightest exaggeration, turned over many of our ideas about the Universe.
The modern space telescope is a unique set of instruments developed and operated by several countries for many years. Thousands of astronomers from all over the world take part in observations at modern orbital observatories.
The picture shows the project of the largest infrared optical telescope at the European Southern Observatory with a height of 40 m.
The successful operation of a space observatory requires the joint efforts of a variety of specialists. Space engineers prepare the telescope for launch, put it into orbit, monitor the power supply of all instruments and their normal functioning. Each object can be observed for several hours, so it is especially important to keep the orientation of the satellite orbiting the Earth in the same direction so that the axis of the telescope remains aimed directly at the object.
infrared observatories
To carry out infrared observations, a rather large load has to be sent into space: the telescope itself, devices for processing and transmitting information, a cooler that should protect the IR receiver from background radiation - infrared quanta emitted by the telescope itself. Therefore, in the entire history of space flight, very few infrared telescopes have operated in space. The first infrared observatory was launched in January 1983 as part of the joint American-European project IRAS. In November 1995, the European Space Agency launched the ISO infrared observatory into low Earth orbit. It has a telescope with the same mirror diameter as IRAS, but more sensitive detectors are used to detect radiation. A wider range of the infrared spectrum is available for ISO observations. Currently, several more projects of space infrared telescopes are being developed, which will be launched in the coming years.
Do not do without infrared equipment and interplanetary stations.
ultraviolet observatories
The ultraviolet radiation of the Sun and stars is almost completely absorbed by the ozone layer of our atmosphere, so UV quanta can only be recorded in the upper layers of the atmosphere and beyond.
For the first time, an ultraviolet reflecting telescope with a mirror diameter (SO cm) and a special ultraviolet spectrometer were launched into space on the joint American-European satellite Copernicus, launched in August 1972. Observations on it were carried out until 1981.
Currently, work is underway in Russia to prepare for the launch of a new ultraviolet telescope "Spektr-UV" with a mirror diameter of 170 cm. observations with ground-based instruments in the ultraviolet (UV) part of the electromagnetic spectrum: 100-320 nm.
The project is headed by Russia and included in the Federal Space Program for 2006-2015. Russia, Spain, Germany and Ukraine are currently participating in the project. Kazakhstan and India are also showing interest in participating in the project. The Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences is the lead scientific organization of the project. The head organization for the rocket and space complex is the NPO named after. S.A. Lavochkin.
The main instrument of the observatory is being created in Russia - a space telescope with a primary mirror 170 cm in diameter. The telescope will be equipped with high and low resolution spectrographs, a long slit spectrograph, as well as cameras for high-quality imaging in the UV and optical regions of the spectrum.
In terms of capabilities, the VKO-UV project is comparable to the American Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and even surpasses it in spectroscopy.
WSO-UV will open up new opportunities for planetary research, stellar, extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology. The launch of the observatory is scheduled for 2016.
X-ray observatories
X-rays convey information to us about powerful cosmic processes associated with extreme physical conditions. The high energy of X-ray and gamma quanta makes it possible to register them "by the piece", with an accurate indication of the time of registration. X-ray detectors are relatively easy to manufacture and light in weight. Therefore, they were used for observations in the upper atmosphere and beyond with the help of high-altitude rockets even before the first launches of artificial earth satellites. X-ray telescopes were installed at many orbital stations and interplanetary spacecraft. In total, about a hundred such telescopes have been in near-Earth space.
gamma-ray observatories
Gamma radiation is closely adjacent to X-rays, so similar methods are used to register it. Very often, telescopes launched into near-Earth orbits simultaneously investigate both X-ray and gamma-ray sources. Gamma rays convey to us information about the processes occurring inside atomic nuclei, and about the transformations of elementary particles in space.
The first observations of cosmic gamma sources were classified. In the late 60s - early 70s. The United States launched four military satellites of the Vela series. The equipment of these satellites was developed to detect bursts of hard X-ray and gamma radiation that occur during nuclear explosions. However, it turned out that most of the recorded bursts are not associated with military tests, and their sources are located not on Earth, but in space. Thus, one of the most mysterious phenomena in the Universe was discovered - gamma-ray flashes, which are single powerful flashes of hard radiation. Although the first cosmic gamma-ray bursts were recorded as early as 1969, information about them was published only four years later.
Over the past few years, the SAI MSU has created a network of MASTER robotic telescopes based on the unique project of the MASTER-II telescope. The main task of the network. observation of the intrinsic radiation of gamma-ray bursts in the optical range (photometry and polarization), since only it gives information about the nature of the explosion. In terms of the number of such observations, Moscow State University came out on top in the world thanks to the round-the-clock operation of the MASTER network. In 2012 photometric and polarization observations of 40 gamma-ray burst regions were carried out and analyzed (50 GCN telegrams were published), the world's first photometric and polarization observations of the intrinsic optical radiation of the gamma-ray burst sources GRB121011A and GRB 120811C were obtained.
The main scientific result of the MASTER network of robotic telescopes in 2012. is the massive discovery of optical transients (over 180 new objects - supernovae of Ia- and other types (the formation of neutron stars and black holes and the search for dark energy), dwarf novae, new stars (thermonuclear combustion on white dwarfs in binary systems and the process of accretion), flares of quasars and black holes (glow of relativistic plasma near supermassive black holes) and other objects with a short lifetime available for observation in the optical range New objects discovered with MASTER are included in the Strasbourg astronomical database http://vizier.u-strasbg .fr/.
Optical transients discovered on the MASTER network were observed at the Swift space X-ray observatory, the 6-m Russian BTA telescope, the 4.2-m W. Herschel telescope (WHT, Canary Islands, Spain), the GROND telescope (2.2 m, Germany, Chile) , the NOT telescope (2.6m, La Palma), the 2m telescope of the National Observatory of Mexico, the 1.82m Copernicus telescope in Asiago (Italy), the 1.5m telescope of the F. Whipple Observatory (USA), the 1.25m CrAO telescope (Ukraine), 50/70-cm Schmidt camera of the Rozhen observatory (Bulgaria), as well as more than 20,000 observations on a number of telescopes of the network of observers of cataclysmic variables around the world.
It has been found that the overwhelming majority of young star clusters, associations, and individual stars are concentrated in giant systems, which were given the name of stellar complexes. Such systems have been identified and studied in our Galaxy and nearby galaxies, and it has been proven that they should be common in all spiral and irregular galaxies. (Prof. Yu.N. Efremov, Prof. A.V. Zasov, Prof. A.D. Chernin - Lomonosov Prize of Moscow State University in 1996).
An analysis of extensive observational material on the stellar population of galactic nuclei, obtained with one of the world's largest 6-meter telescope SAO RAS using modern equipment, made it possible to obtain a number of new data on the chemical and age composition of the stellar population of galactic nuclei. (Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences O.K. Silchenko - Shuvalov Prize of Moscow State University, 1996).
For the first time in the world, an Astrographic Catalog (AK) was created on the basis of the Sky Map (a photographic survey of the entire celestial sphere, carried out since 1891 for 60 years at 19 observatories of the world) and the results of the space experiment HIPPARCOS-TYCHO. The positions and proper motions of 4.6 million stars are given with high accuracy. The catalog will remain the best in the world for several decades (Prof. V.V. Nesterov, Ph.D. A.V. Kuzmin, Ph.D. K.V. Kuimov – Lomonosov Prize Moscow State University 1999).
A series of works by Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.M. Cherepashchuk on the study of close binary systems of stars in the late stages of evolution was awarded the A.A. Belopolsky Prize of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2002). It covers a forty-year period of studying late close binary systems of various types: Wolf-Rayet stars in binary systems, X-ray binary systems with neutron stars and black holes, and the unique binary system SS 433.
A gravitational wave map of the sky has been constructed in the frequency range 10-9–103 Hz based on a realistic distribution of luminous baryonic matter at a distance of up to 50 Mpc. Sources of gravitational waves associated with various types of supernova explosions and merging binary compact stars (neutron stars and black holes) are taken into account.
Using direct evolutionary modeling, various subsets of objects in the Galaxy, old neutron stars and massive binary systems, in which neutron stars and black holes are formed as a result of nuclear evolution, are studied.
Observational manifestations of accretion disks around neutron stars and black holes in binary systems are studied. The theory of non-stationary disk accretion, the basis of which was laid about 30 years ago in the works of N.I. Shakura, was further developed and applied to explain transient X-ray sources and a number of cataclysmic variables (Ph.D. N.I. Shakura , Prof. V.M. Lipunov, Prof. K.A. Postnov - Lomonosov Prize of Moscow State University in 2003, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences M.E. Prokhorov - Shuvalov Prize in 2000).
Ph.D. VE Zharov, as part of an international international group, was awarded the Rene Descartes Prize of the European Union (2003) for the creation of a new high-precision theory of nutation and precession of the inelastic Earth. The theory takes into account flows in the liquid viscous core, differential rotation of the solid inner core, cohesion of the liquid core and the mantle, inelasticity of the mantle, heat exchange inside the Earth, motion in the oceans and atmosphere, etc.
Hard (~100 keV) X-ray emission from the microquasar SS433 of a binary system with a black hole in a supercritical accretion regime and precessing collimated relativistic ejections of matter was detected at the INTEGRAL International Orbital Gamma Observatory. A variability in the hard X-ray emission due to eclipses and the precession of the accretion disk has been found. It is shown that hard radiation is generated in an extended supercritical region of the accretion disk. This result is important for understanding the nature of quasars and galactic nuclei, where collimated relativistic ejections of matter from the inner parts of the accretion disk around a supermassive black hole are also observed. (Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.M. Cherepashchuk, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences K.A. Postnov et al., 2003)
In recent years, employees of the SAI have received: Prize of the Russian Academy of Sciences. A.A. Belopolsky, Order of Friendship (A.M. Cherepashchuk), three Lomonosov Prizes of Moscow State University for scientific work and one Lomonosov Prize for pedagogical work (A.M. Cherepashchuk), Rene Descartes Prize of the European Union, two Shuvalov Prizes of Moscow State University
After man first went into space, many manned satellites and robotic research stations were launched, which brought a lot of new and useful knowledge to man. At the same time, among the huge number of space projects, there are those that are distinguished primarily by huge sums of money invested in them. The most expensive space projects will be discussed in our review.
1 Gaia Space Observatory
$1 billion
Given the cost of construction, ground infrastructure and launch, the Gaia space observatory cost $1 billion, 16% over the original budget. Also, this project was completed two years later than expected. The objective of the Gaia mission, which was funded by the European Space Agency, is to create a 3D map of approximately 1 billion stars and other space objects that make up about 1% of our galaxy - the Milky Way.
2. Juno spacecraft
$1.1 billion
The Juno project was originally expected to cost $700 million, but by June 2011 the cost had exceeded $1.1 billion. Juno was launched in August 2011 and is expected to reach Jupiter on October 18, 2016. After that, the spacecraft will be launched into the orbit of Jupiter to study the composition, gravitational field and magnetic field of the planet. The mission will end in 2017 after Juno has orbited Jupiter 33 times.
3. Herschel Space Observatory
$1.3 billion
Operating from 2009 to 2013, the Herschel Space Observatory was built by the European Space Agency and was, in fact, the largest infrared telescope ever launched into orbit. In 2010, the project cost was $1.3 billion. This figure includes spacecraft launch costs and scientific expenses. The observatory ceased operation on April 29, 2013, when the coolant ran out, although it was originally expected that it would only last until the end of 2012.
4. Galileo spacecraft
$1.4 billion
On October 18, 1989, the unmanned Galileo spacecraft was launched into orbit, and on December 7, 1995, it reached the planet Jupiter. The purpose of the Jupiter mission was to study Jupiter and its satellites. The study of the largest planet in the solar system was by no means cheap: the entire mission cost approximately $ 1.4 billion. By the early 2000s, Jupiter's intense radiation damaged Galileo, and the fuel was running out, so it was decided to crash the device on the surface of Jupiter to prevent contamination of the planet's satellites by terrestrial bacteria.
5. Magnetic alpha spectrometer
$2 billion
The AMS-02 alpha magnetic spectrometer is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment aboard the International Space Station. This device, which is capable of detecting antimatter in cosmic rays, was made in an attempt to prove the existence of dark matter. The AMS program was originally supposed to cost $33 million, but costs rose to a staggering $2 billion after a series of complications and technical problems. The ASM-02 was installed on the International Space Station in May 2011 and currently measures and records 1000 cosmic rays per second.
6 Curiosity Mars Rover
$2.5 billion
The Curiosity rover, which cost $2.5 billion (against an original budget of $650 million), successfully landed on the surface of Mars in Gale Crater on August 6, 2012. His mission was to determine whether Mars is inhabited, as well as to study the planet's climate and its geological features.
7 Cassini Huygens
$3.26 billion
The Cassini-Huygens project was designed to study distant objects in the solar system and, first of all, the planet Saturn. This autonomous robotic spacecraft, which was launched in 1997 and reached Saturn's orbit in 2004, included not only an orbital facility but also an atmospheric lander that was brought down to the surface of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. The $3.26 billion cost of the project was shared between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency.
8. Orbital station Mir
$4.2 billion
Orbital space station "Mir" served 15 years - from 1986 until 2001, when it deorbited and was sunk in the Pacific Ocean. Mir holds the record for the longest continuous stay in space: cosmonaut Valery Polyakov spent 437 days and 18 hours aboard the space station. "Mir" acted as a research laboratory for the study of microgravity, and experiments were carried out at the station in the field of physics, biology, meteorology and astronomy.
9. GLONASS
$4.7 billion
Just like the United States and the European Union, Russia has its own global positioning system. It is believed that during the period of GLONASS operation from 2001 to 2011, $ 4.7 billion was spent, and $ 10 billion was allocated for the operation of the system in 2012 - 2020. GLONASS currently consists of 24 satellites. The development of the project began in the Soviet Union in 1976 and was completed in 1995.
10. Satellite navigation system Galileo
$6.3 billion
The Galileo satellite navigation system is Europe's answer to the American GPS system. The $6.3 billion system currently acts as a back-up network in the event of a GPS outage, with all 30 satellites scheduled to be launched and fully operational by 2019.
11 James Webb Space Telescope
$8.8 billion
The development of the James Webb Space Telescope began in 1996, and the launch is scheduled for October 2018. NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency made major contributions to the $8.8 billion project. The project had already run into a lot of funding issues and was almost canceled in 2011.
12. GPS global positioning system
$12 billion
Global Positioning System (GPS) - a group of 24 satellites that allow anyone to determine their location anywhere in the world. The initial cost of sending satellites into space was approximately $12 billion, but annual operating costs are estimated at a total of $750 million. Since it is now hard to imagine a world without GPS and Google Maps, the system has proven to be extremely useful not only for military purposes, but for everyday life .
13. Space projects of the Apollo series
$25.4 billion
In the entire history of space exploration, the Apollo project has become not only one of the most epoch-making, but also one of the most expensive. The final cost, as reported by the United States Congress in 1973, was $25.4 billion. NASA held a symposium in 2009 during which it was estimated that the cost of the Apollo project would have been $170 billion if converted to the 2005 course. President Kennedy was instrumental in shaping the Apollo program, famously promising that man would eventually set foot on the moon. His goal was achieved in 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon.
14. International Space Station
$160 billion
The International Space Station is one of the most expensive buildings in human history. As of 2010, its cost was a staggering $160 billion, but this figure continues to rise due to operating costs and new additions to the station. From 1985 to 2015, NASA invested about $59 billion in the project, Russia contributed about $12 billion, and the European Space Agency and Japan each contributed $5 billion. Each flight of the Space Shuttle with equipment to build the International Space Station cost $1.4 billion. .
15. NASA Space Shuttle Program
$196 billion
In 1972, the Space Shuttle program was launched to develop reusable space shuttles. As part of the program, 135 flights took place on 6 shuttles or "reusable space orbital aircraft", two of which (Columbia and Challenger) exploded, killing 14 astronauts. The last shuttle launch took place on July 8, 2001, when the shuttle Atlantis was sent into space (it landed on July 21, 2011).
There are space projects among.
Chandra, one of NASA's "great observatories" along with the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, is specifically designed to detect X-rays from hot and energetic regions of the universe.
Thanks to its high resolution and sensitivity, Chandra observes various objects from the nearest planets and comets to the most distant known quasars. The telescope displays traces of exploded stars and supernova remnants, observes the region near the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, and detects other black holes in the universe.
Chandra contributed to the study of the nature of dark energy, made it possible to take a step forward on the path to its study, traces the separation of dark matter from normal matter in collisions between clusters of galaxies.
The telescope rotates in an orbit remote from the Earth's surface up to 139,000 km. This height allows you to avoid the shadow of the Earth during observations. When Chandra was launched into space, it was the largest of all the satellites previously launched using the shuttle.
In honor of the 15th anniversary of the space observatory, we publish a selection of 15 photographs taken by the Chandra telescope. Full image gallery from Chandra X-ray Observatory on Flickr.
This spiral galaxy in the constellation Canis Hounds is about 23 million light-years distant from us. It is known as NGC 4258 or M106.
A cluster of stars in an optical image from the Digitized Sky Survey of the center of the Flame Nebula, or NGC 2024. The images from the Chandra and Spitzer telescopes are juxtaposed and shown as an overlay, demonstrating how powerful X-ray and infrared images help in studying star-forming regions.
This composite image shows the star cluster at the center of what is known as NGC 2024, or the Flame Nebula, about 1,400 light-years from Earth.
Centaurus A is the fifth brightest galaxy in the sky, so it often attracts the attention of amateur astronomers. It is located only 12 million light years from Earth.
The Fireworks Galaxy or NGC 6946 is a medium-sized spiral galaxy about 22 million light-years from Earth. In the last century, an explosion of eight supernovae was observed within its limits, because of the brightness it was called Fireworks.
The region of glowing gas in the Sagittarius arm of the Milky Way galaxy is the nebula NGC 3576, which lies about 9,000 light-years from Earth.
Stars like the Sun can become amazingly photogenic in the twilight of life. A good example is the Eskimo planetary nebula NGC 2392, which lies about 4,200 light-years from Earth.
The remnants of supernova W49B, about a thousand years old, lie about 26,000 light-years away. Supernova explosions that destroy massive stars tend to be symmetrical, with a more or less even distribution of stellar material in all directions. In W49B we see an exception.
This is a stunning image of four planetary nebulae in the vicinity of the Sun: NGC 6543 or the Cat's Eye Nebula, as well as NGC 7662, NGC 7009 and NGC 6826.
This composite image shows a superbubble in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a small satellite galaxy of the Milky Way about 160,000 light-years from Earth.
When radiative winds from massive young stars impact clouds of cold gas, they can form new stellar generations. Perhaps just this process is captured in the Elephant Trunk Nebula (official name IC 1396A).
Image of the central region of the galaxy, outwardly resembling the Milky Way. But it contains a much more active supermassive black hole in the white region. The distance between the galaxy NGC 4945 and the Earth is about 13 million light years.
This composite image provides a beautiful X-ray and optical view of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A), located in our galaxy about 11,000 light-years from Earth. These are the remains of a massive star that exploded about 330 years ago.
Astronomers on Earth observed a supernova explosion in the constellation Taurus in 1054. Nearly a thousand years later, we see a super-dense object called a neutron star left over from the explosion, which is constantly spewing a huge stream of radiation into the expanding region of the Crab Nebula. X-ray data from the Chandra telescope give insight into the operation of this mighty cosmic "generator", which produces energy in the amount of 100,000 suns.
