NuSTAR Bringing the High Energy Universe into Focus

 
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The Creation of Titanium in Stars

Artwork • February 19, 2014

This diagram illustrates why NuSTAR can see radioactivity in the remains of exploded stars for the first time. The observatory detects high-energy X-ray photons that are released by a radioactive substance called titanium-44.

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The Case of Missing Iron in Cassiopeia A

Observation • February 19, 2014

When astronomers first looked at images of a supernova remnant called Cassiopeia A, captured by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, they were shocked. The pattern of radioactive titanium observed by NuSTAR (right) does not match the pattern of heated iron seen by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (left). The two elements were forged together in the supernova explosion, so researchers had expected their distributions to match up. Why is there titanium at the heart of Cas A and no iron? It's a new mystery that researchers hope to crack.

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NuSTAR Data Point to Sloshing Supernovas

Collage • February 19, 2014

Two popular models describing how massive stars explode are shown in the top two panels. Each model calls for a different explosive trigger: either jets (left) or a sloshing effect referred to as mild asymmetries. NuSTAR is allowing researchers to test these models with actual data for the first time because it sees radioactive material that was created in the blast. The NuSTAR data at the bottom right panel matches the sloshing scenario better than the jet-driven model, which should have produced long streams of material that aren't seen.

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Radioactive Core of a Dead Star

Observation • February 19, 2014

NuSTAR has, for the first time, imaged the radioactive "guts" of a supernova remnant, the leftover remains of a star that exploded. The NuSTAR data are blue, and show high-energy X-rays. Yellow shows non-radioactive material detected previously by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory in low-energy X-rays.

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Adding a New "Color" to Palate of Cassiopeia A Images

Observation • February 19, 2014

NuSTAR is complementing previous observations of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant (red and green) by providing the first maps of radioactive material forged in the fiery explosion (blue).

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Evolution of a Supernova

Collage • February 19, 2014

These illustrations show the progression of a supernova blast. A massive star (left), which has created elements as heavy as iron in its interior, blows up in a tremendous explosion (middle), scattering its outer layers in a structure called a supernova remnant (right). The supernova explosion itself also creates many elements, including those heavier than iron, such as gold.

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Untangling the Remains of Cassiopeia A

Observation • February 19, 2014

This is the first map of radioactivity in a supernova remnant, the blown-out bits and pieces of a massive star that exploded. The blue color shows radioactive material mapped in high-energy X-rays using NuSTAR. Heated, non-radioactive elements previously imaged by Chandra using low-energy X-rays are shown in red, yellow and green.

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High-Energy X-ray View of 'Hand of God'

Observation • January 9, 2014

Can you see the shape of a hand in this new X-ray image? The hand might look like an X-ray from the doctor's office, but it is actually a cloud of material ejected from a star that exploded.

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Different Flavors of Black Holes

Observation • January 9, 2014

A range of supermassive black holes lights up this new image from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR. All of the dots are active black holes tucked inside the hearts of galaxies, with colors representing different energies of X-ray light.

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Black Holes of the Circinus Galaxy

Observation • November 26, 2013

The magenta spots in this image show two black holes in the Circinus galaxy: the supermassive black hole at its heart, and a smaller one closer to the edge that belongs to a class called ultraluminous X-ray sources, or ULXs. The magenta X-ray data come from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescopic Array (NuSTAR).

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Topsy Turvy Black Holes

Observation • November 26, 2013

The magenta spots in this image show two black holes in the spiral galaxy called NGC 1313, or the Topsy Turvy galaxy. Both black holes belong to a class called ultraluminous X-ray sources, or ULXs. The magenta X-ray data come from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescopic Array (NuSTAR).

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Black Holes Shine for NuSTAR (annotated)

Observation • September 5, 2013

An optical color image of galaxies is seen here overlaid with X-ray data (magenta) from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). NuSTAR's serendipitous discovery in this field lies to the left of a galaxy, called IC 751, at which the telescope originally intended to look. Both magenta blobs show X-rays from massive black holes buried at the hearts of galaxies.

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Black Holes Shine for NuSTAR

Observation • September 5, 2013

An optical color image of galaxies is seen here overlaid with X-ray data (magenta) from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). NuSTAR's serendipitous discovery in this field lies to the left of a galaxy, called IC 751, at which the telescope originally intended to look. Both magenta blobs show X-rays from massive black holes buried at the hearts of galaxies.

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Black Holes Shine for NuSTAR in X-Rays

Observation • September 5, 2013

The X-ray data (magenta) from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). NuSTAR's serendipitous discovery in this field lies to the left of a galaxy, called IC 751, at which the telescope originally intended to look. Both magenta blobs show X-rays from massive black holes buried at the hearts of galaxies.

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Celebrating NuSTARs First Birthday

Photograph • June 13, 2013

On June 13, 2013 scientists and friends of NuSTAR celebrated the first anniversary of the successful launch and deployment of the instrument.

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Celebrating NuSTARs first birthday

Photograph • June 13, 2013

To celebrate the one year anniversary of the successful launch of NuSTAR into orbit, scientists, friends and their families of the mission gathered at the California Institute of Technology for a birthday party.

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Sculptor Galaxy Shines with X-rays

Observation • June 11, 2013

The Sculptor galaxy is seen in a new light, in this composite image from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). The NuSTAR data, which appear as colored blobs, show high-energy X-rays. The NuSTAR observations are the sharpest ever taken of this galaxy in high-energy X-rays.

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Sculptor Galaxy Shines with X-rays

Observation • June 11, 2013

The Sculptor galaxy is seen in a new light, in this composite image from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). Visible data from the European Space Observatory show the backbone of the galaxy made up of stars, while NuSTAR data, which appear as colored blobs, show high-energy X-rays. The NuSTAR observations are the sharpest ever taken of this galaxy in high-energy X-rays.

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How to Measure the Spin of a Black Hole

Artwork • February 27, 2013

This chart illustrates the basic model for determining the spin rates of black holes. The three artist's concepts represent the different types of spin: retrograde rotation, where the disk of matter falling onto the hole, called an accretion disk, moves in the opposite direction of the black hole; no spin; and prograde rotation, where the disk spins in the same direction as the black hole.

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Two Models of Black Hole Spin

Artwork • February 27, 2013

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 of the artist's concepts.

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NuSTAR's Improved View

Artwork • February 27, 2013

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. The large regions observed by previous satellites contain so much of this background emission that the radiation from the central black hole is mixed and diluted into it. NuSTAR, NASA's newest X-ray observatory, is able to isolate the emission from the black hole, allowing a far more precise analysis of its properties.

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Black Holes: Monsters in Space

Artwork • February 21, 2013

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. In this illustration, the supermassive black hole at the center is surrounded by matter flowing onto the black hole in what is termed an accretion disk. This disk forms as the dust and gas in the galaxy falls onto the hole, attracted by its gravity.

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Sizzling Remains of a Dead Star

Observation • January 7, 2013

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 X-ray light, where NuSTAR has made the first resolved image ever of this source.

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Sizzling X-ray Remains of a Dead Star

Observation • January 7, 2013

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 X-ray light, where NuSTAR has made the first resolved image ever of this source.

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Blazing Black Holes Spotted in X-ray View of Galaxy IC 342

Observation • January 7, 2013

This new view of spiral galaxy IC 342, also known as Caldwell 5, includes data from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR. The two magenta spots are blazing black holes first detected at lower-energy X-ray wavelengths by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. With NuSTAR's complementary data, astronomers can start to home in on the black holes' mysterious properties.

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The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array science operations center is located on the campus of the California Institute of Technology