Launched on January 9, 2024, the Einstein Probe is a venture by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with ESA, the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) in Germany, and France's National Centre for Space Studies (CNES). This initiative places the spacecraft alongside ESA's XMM-Newton and JAXA's XRISM in a collective endeavor to unveil cosmic phenomena through X-ray astronomy.
Since its deployment, the spacecraft's team has been validating its functionality and fine-tuning its scientific tools. During these trials, the Einstein Probe has already begun its scientific data collection from various X-ray sources.
The mission's Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) is capable of covering nearly one-eleventh of the celestial sphere in a single observation, complemented by the more precise Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT), which can isolate and study transient X-ray events identified by WXT.
"I am delighted to see the first observations from Einstein Probe, which showcase the mission's ability to study wide expanses of the X-ray sky and quickly discover new celestial sources," said Prof. Carole Mundell, ESA Director of Science. "These early data give us a tantalising glimpse of the high-energy dynamic Universe that will soon be within reach of our science communities. Congratulations to the science and engineering teams at CAS, MPE, CNES and ESA for their hard work in reaching this important milestone."
The mission excels at detecting new X-ray sources and monitoring dynamic cosmic events, such as collisions between neutron stars, supernova explosions, and the extreme conditions around black holes and neutron stars.
Featuring twelve modules with lobster-eye optics, the WXT has already commenced surveillance duties, monitoring the X-ray universe. Its capabilities were demonstrated when it detected a gamma-ray burst on February 19, which lasted 100 seconds, and since then, it has identified 14 other temporary X-ray sources and observed X-ray emissions from 127 flaring stars.
The mission's instruments have also facilitated rapid follow-up studies, including a detailed examination of a supernova remnant, an elliptical galaxy, a globular cluster, and a nebula through the FXT after initial identification by WXT.
"It is astounding that even though the instruments were not yet fully calibrated, we could already perform a time-critical follow-up observation using the FXT instrument of a fast X-ray transient first spotted by WXT," remarked Dr. Erik Kuulkers, ESA's Einstein Probe Project Scientist. "It shows what Einstein Probe will be capable of during its survey."
Looking forward, the Einstein Probe will continue calibration and is scheduled to commence regular scientific observations by mid-June. Over its three-year mission, the satellite will operate from an orbit 600 km above Earth, perpetually monitoring for transient X-ray events, paving the way for future missions like ESA's upcoming NewAthena X-ray observatory.
Related Links
Einstein Probe at CAS
Understanding Time and Space
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
