The Chinese astronomical satellite Einstein Probe takes its first images in orbit around the Earth: Xinhua

BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) — China’s astronomical satellite Einstein Probe (EP), which was sent into space in January this year, has captured its first orbiting detection images, which were presented at a parallel forum of the Zhongguancun Forum 2024 in Beijing on Saturday.

Inspired by the functions of lobster eyes, EP uses new X-ray detection technology to observe mysterious transient phenomena in the universe that flicker like fireworks.

Yuan Weimin, principal investigator of the EP mission and researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said that since the probe’s launch on January 9 this year, commissioning tests have been carried out, confirming its functionality and capability . performance of the EP satellite and its scientific instruments.

During the commissioning phase, EP detected 17 X-ray transients and 127 stellar outbursts. These findings have guided a series of ground-based and space-based telescopes in follow-up observations in multiple wavebands, Yuan said.

Preliminary analysis of the data from EP and other telescopes has confirmed EP’s potential to discover various X-ray sources and even new types of objects, and its important role in revealing the evolution of the universe and the structure of spacetime, Yuan added to.

“With great efforts, our team made this nearly impossible mission possible,” Yuan said.

Zhang Chen, assistant to EP’s principal investigator, said the probe took X-ray images of various celestial bodies during its commissioning. These observations have demonstrated the excellent capabilities of the EP’s two scientific instruments: a Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) to monitor a panorama of the X-ray sky, and a Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT) to provide close-up X-ray telescopes (FXT). -up views and locate temporary resources captured by the WXT.

EP will continue its calibration activities in space in the coming months, Zhang added.

The EP mission is part of a series of space science missions led by CAS. It is also an international collaborative mission with contributions from the European Space Agency (ESA), the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) in Germany and the French space agency CNES.

The mission aims to help scientists capture the first light from supernova explosions, search for and locate X-ray signals associated with gravitational wave events, and identify dormant black holes and other faint transient and variable celestial bodies in the far reaches of the universe to discover. ■