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X-ray Astronomy at JAXA Japan's Leading-Edge X-ray Astronomy: Unveiling the Mysteries of a Dynamic Universe
What is X-ray Astronomy? The Light That We Can't See - Exploring Space with X-Rays
 
The Universe Revealed by X-rays
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[The Sun]
Viewed via visible light, the Sun appears to be a globe with a smooth and luminous surface. By contrast, X-rays show that it has a dynamic corona.
 The Sun Visible light Photo The Sun X-rays Photo
[The Virgo cluster]
Visible light allows us to spot galaxies as clear dots in the sky; X-rays show hot gas surrounding the galaxies. 		The Virgo cluster Visible light Photo The Virgo cluster X-rays Photo
[Sirius]
Sirius A is a bright fixed star easily observed with visible light. The luminous star observed with X-rays is Sirius B, a white dwarf star. It is an extremely dense star, about the same size as the Earth but as heavy as the Sun. X-ray observation makes Sirius B appear to be more luminous because it is extremely hot. Sirius B is heated to a temperature of millions of degrees Celsius by the friction created when it sucks in gas emitted by Sirius A and accelerated in the process.


 Sirius Visible light Photo Sirius X-rays Photo
What Are X-rays?
1 | 2 | 3 Gamma Rays - The Next Frontier
1. What Is X-ray Astronomy? 2. Japan's Leading-Edge X-ray Astronomy 3. ASTRO-EII Launched into Space - Summer 2005
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