Space-based high energy observatories

In this exercise, you will research space-based observatories in High Energy Astrophysics (photons only from space; we will look at ground-based VHE telescopes, neutrino and gravitational wave observatories later). Each person should choose two observatories, one historical and one currently operating. You should write up your results in the google doc to look at in class.

You can find a list of missions and some information about them at the NASA HEASARC website:

https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/observatories.html

You should “claim” your two observatories by writing the name of the observatories and your name in the first page of the google doc. If we run out of active missions, then you can do two historical missions instead.

In your write up – 1 page for each observatory – you should include

• Your name

• The name of the observatory, dates it was/has been operating, an image showing what it looks like

• The instrument(s) it carries with their observational characteristics: energy or wavelength ranges, effective area, spectral resolution, time resolution, angular resolution/field of view, polarization capabilities, as appropriate

• Approximately, what is the faintest source that can be detected?

• What kind of detector technology is used in the instruments and how it works

• Some examples of the types of astrophysical sources that are looked at and the most important science results

You should come to class prepared to briefly present your findings (few minutes).