Isro's black hole mission XPoSat begins active observation, looks at Crab pulsar

[ajay0]

ISRO's Polix instrument onboard its satellite XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite ) has started active observation of the Crab pulsar.

Isro's black hole mission XPoSat begins active observation, looks at Crab pulsar

The Crab Pulsar, the central star in the Crab Nebula, is a neutron star that emits beams of radiation detectable from Earth, much like a cosmic lighthouse. It spins at an astonishing rate of about 30 rotations per second, making it one of the most fascinating objects for astrophysical studies.

XPoSat's mission is to enhance our understanding of the dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources under extreme conditions.

Alongside POLIX, the mission carries another scientific payload, XSPECT, which provides spectroscopic information and timing in soft X-rays. Together, these instruments will observe various celestial phenomena, including black holes, neutron stars, and active galactic nuclei, over the planned five-year lifetime of the mission.

The commencement of POLIX's active observation phase marks a significant step forward for India's first dedicated polarimetry mission. The data collected will help unravel the complexities of emission mechanisms from astronomical sources and contribute to the global scientific community's efforts to understand the universe's high-energy processes.