Browse Archive

  • Artist's concept of a black hole

    Black Holes: Monsters in Space

    This artist's concept illustrates a supermassive black hole with millions to billions times the mass of our sun. Supermassive black holes are enormously dense objects buried at the hearts of galaxies....

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  • Rotation and obscuration models

    Two Models of Black Hole Spin

    Scientists measure the spin rates of supermassive black holes by spreading the X-ray light into different colors. The light comes from accretion disks that swirl around black holes, as shown in both o...

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  • X-ray telescope and electromagnetic spectrum

    Complementary X-Ray Vision

    This chart depicts the electromagnetic spectrum, highlighting the X-ray portion. NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton telescope complement e...

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  • Comparison of NuSTAR to previous missions

    NuSTAR's Improved View

    This image taken by the ultraviolet-light monitoring camera on the European Space Agency's (ESA's) XMM-Newton telescope shows the beautiful spiral arms of the galaxy NGC1365. Copious high-energy X-ray...

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  • X-ray data from XMM-Newton and NuSTAR

    Two X-Ray Observatories are Better Than One

    NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has helped to show, for the first time, that the spin rates of black holes can be measured conclusively. It did this, together with the Europea...

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  • Supernova remnant Cassiopeia A

    Sizzling Remains of a Dead Star

    This new view of the historical supernova remnant Cassiopeia A, located 11,000 light-years away, was taken by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR. Blue indicates the highest energy...

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  • Spiral galaxy IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5

    Blazing Black Holes Spotted in Spiral Beauty

    This new view of spiral galaxy IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5, includes data from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR. High-energy X-ray data from NuSTAR have been translated to ...

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  • First, focused views of the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy in high-energy X-ray light

    Pointing X-ray Eyes at our Resident Supermassive Black Hole

    NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has captured these first, focused views of the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy in high-energy X-ray light. The background im...

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  • First look at Milky Way's Monster in High-Energy X-ray Light

    First Look at Milky Way's Monster in High-Energy X-ray Light

    These are the first, focused high-energy X-ray views of the area surrounding the supermassive black hole, called Sagittarius A*, at the center of our galaxy. The images were taken by NASA's black-hole...

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  • Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus XL rocket with the NuSTAR spacecraft

    NuSTAR Hitches a Ride on the 'Stargazer'

    This photo shows the Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus XL rocket with the NuSTAR spacecraft after attachment to the L-1011 carrier aircraft known as "Stargazer." The Pegasus will launch NuSTAR into...

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  • The image on the left, taken by the European Space Agency's INTEGRAL satellite, shows high-energy X-rays from galaxies beyond our own. The image on the right shows a simulated view of what NuSTAR will see at comparable wavelengths.

    Bringing Black Holes Into Focus

    This image comparison demonstrates NuSTAR's improved ability to focus high-energy X-ray light into sharp images. The image on the left, taken by the European Space Agency's INTEGRAL satellite, shows h...

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  • NuSTAR's Russian doll-like mirrors

    NuSTAR's Russian Doll-like Mirrors

    NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has a complex set of mirrors, or optics, that will help it see high-energy X-ray light in greater detail than ever before. These images show di...

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  • Artist's concept showing NASA's NuSTAR mission orbiting Earth

    NuSTAR Orbits Earth

    Artist's concept showing NASA's NuSTAR mission orbiting Earth. NuSTAR will hunt for hidden black holes and other exotic cosmic objects.

    Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

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  • Inside NuSTAR's nose cone

    Inside NuSTAR's Nose Cone

    A spacecraft technician is performing closeout work inside the fairing that will be installed around NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) spacecraft in a processing facility at Vanden...

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  • Wrapping NuSTAR in Its rocket nose cone

    Wrapping NuSTAR in Its Rocket Nose Cone

    An Orbital Sciences technician completes final checks of NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, inside the Orbital Sciences processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Califo...

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  • NuSTAR inches toward its rocket

    NuSTAR Inches Toward its Rocket

    At Vandenberg Air Force Base's processing facility in California, the separation ring on the aft end of NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, , at right, inches its way toward the t...

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  • Uniting of the NuSTAR spacecraft with the rocket

    Uniting of NuSTAR Spacecraft and Rocket

    Inside an environmental enclosure at Vandenberg Air Force Base's processing facility in California, solar panels line the sides of NASA's NuSTAR, which was just joined to the Orbital Sciences Pegasus ...

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  • NuSTAR spacecraft inside an environmental enclosure at Vandenberg Air Force Base

    Final Steps in Mating NuSTAR to its Rocket

    Inside an environmental enclosure at Vandenberg Air Force Base's processing facility in California, technicians complete the final steps in mating NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuST...

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  • NASA's NuSTAR spacecraft

    Spacecraft Arrives

    Workers position the payload transporter supporting the environmentally controlled shipping container enclosing NASA's NuSTAR spacecraft for transfer from the airlock to the high bay of processing fac...

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  • Artist's Concept of NuSTAR

    Artist's Concept of NuSTAR

    Artist's concept of NuSTAR on orbit. NuSTAR has a 10-m (30') mast that deploys after launch to separate the optics modules (right) from the detectors in the focal plane (left). The spacecraft, which c...

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